Wrong Foot, Missed Step
by Riley Killer
Summary: If you knew it was going to happen, could you let dozens of people die? Would you be able to deal with the consequences of interfering to save them? Well, I'm not sure I can. Though I'm learning it just goes to show you; not everyone's meant to be good at being the hero.
1. Kid's Don't Drink Underage

**A/N: **Alright I've been wanting to find a way to do a good Fullmetal Alchemist story for some time now and this is what the result has become. So, just so people know, this is an alternate to my research series. It will involve my main character Cassi, as I love her oh so much and giving her shit is my way of getting through the day. SOOO! There you go. This will be an **alternate** story, like if I was to do Wrong Shirt, and make it FMA instead of Naruto. I have a few funny ideas for it, so it will be a comedy, I hope. So if you haven't read the first one, **Research Never Meant to be Found**, let me fill you in on something's.

*The last convention she went to she was attacked which left a big shark bite scar on one of her shoulders.  
*She hasn't been to a convention since in this story.

**Also I am dropping no stories, I am just trying to get my mind back on track since I'm back in school. Consider this to my readers a belated Christmas gift and new years.**

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Fullmetal Alchemist manga, merchandise, and or anime. I own Cassi, and her in whole body mind and soul.

* * *

**Kid's Don't Drink Underage**

_Oh crap! _I heard men behind me as I ran down the hall, security men to be exact. My best friend I heard shouting from the background for me to run faster. His voice booming into the air, a drunken slur with in it. To be honest, I was a little buzzed myself, however unlike him. I was a year, maybe a little more underage and didn't really think I would be carded by anyone.

I turned left at a cross section in the halls of the hotel I was in and saw a crowd of people ahead of me. That was something you could always count on when you were at an anime convention as big as the one here in Columbus, Ohayocon. Lots of people, and big crowds. However as I dug my feet deeper into the ground, upping the amount of speed in my sprint, I felt my heart skip two beats as two other security men appeared. I bit my lip immediately and stopped, turning my head left and right in search for an exit.

My body twisted as I spotted one, there was a group of stairs to my right that I knew would lead down into the food court, if I hadn't been to this con before, right now I would have been seriously screwed. My feet clunked along the way, the heels I was wearing making it difficult and causing slipping on a few stairs and forcing me to catch myself with the railing as I made it to the bottom. I could hear my other best friend, Kris screaming in the background too with Chip, while I fought back a curse.

There was muffled walkie talkie crackling in the background and another staircase to my right. If I wasn't careful I was going to get my ass cornered so badly. The last thing I wanted to was to be identified by these guys, then I might get a con ban, or even worse, the actual cops might end up getting involved with the situation. I didn't need a charge of underage drinking underneath my belt.

_Damn it damn it damn it!_ There were no better words for right now except the ones I could pluck from a long list of obscenities as I moved down the stair case, using the railing to launch myself around the corner and into the air down it, landing causing myself to stumble for before I was turning into the cement floor entrance to the parking garage and pool. My vision blurred behind my glasses for a moment and black spots appeared as I grabbed the parking garage door and opened it.

A blast of fresh January air came to hit my hot sweat stained face. Limping slightly I entered and then winced looking over at a man smoking a cigarette, he simply glanced at me in which I raised a hand waving, while hunching over, other hand on my thigh supporting me while I wheezed.

I needed to work out more. Grow stamina for when things like this happened. Not that I knew they would exactly. At the age of 19, I was pretty sure that I looked at least 21, I mean, there had been plenty of people that had mistaken me for a mom when I was with kids… that was always a hit to the good old self esteem. But to get carded of here of all places, at the fricken Hyatt Regency and Greater Columbus Convention Center. C'mon!

"You look like you've been havin' fun." I looked up at the guy. It was an old man with a camera around his neck, he held the cigarette in his mouth and I watched his eyes move over to me as I slowly managed to stand up straight and shiver as the sweat on me was cooling down a bit. It had to be at least 20 degrees Fahrenheit if not colder out here. Shaking my head lightly I managed a slight grin.

"You don' know the half of it." He let out a chuckle at this. The clothing he was wearing was a sweater and a pair of jeans. I could see hiking boots on his feet that was covered in something… I stared for a few moments and then let it go as the nicotine of the cigarette smoke made me wince as I inhaled more than my fair share then coughed in my deep breath.

"It's too cold for you to be out here wearing something like that." I glanced at him again and then down at my form. For starters, I was wearing a female version of a male character and the majority of it, except for my shoes, and my undershirt, which was a dark blue spandex top that had been cut an inch my belly button with red lines over the shoulders and underneath the ribs with circles at the end of them, was made out of faux leather.

"Well." I began as I shifted in my zip-up, ankle high, heels, "They won't look for me here." I let my hands shove into my faux leather pockets and tilted my head into the faux fur that lined the collar of my faux leather vest, the white silk trim and black silk lining shifting against, "So I'll endure."

"Hrm…" He looked me up and down and raised an ashy gray eyebrow, my own brown copied as I looked at him through my spectacles. "So who are you supposed to be?"

"Fem-Greed." I replied simply, "I didn't want to buy a wig and do actual Greed." He looked confused for a few moments before I shrugged, the movement causing the leather bands that dangled off my wrists and hands to shift and bounce in the process.

"…So you're a weird female version of someone who only lasts nine episodes in the Fullmetal Alchemist Series?" I almost twitched and wanted to hit him before letting out a breath.

"Have you seen Brotherhood yet?" I tilted my head over and glanced at him not facing him any more. When he shook his head I chuckled lightly, "Well then you have no idea. Greed is badass. He's a character I connect to."

"He's greedy, who can't connect with that?" I blinked at that and tilted my head the other direction in thought. However it was cut short by the sound of yelling, I turned my head and flinched as I saw a security man, my body diving out of the way of the door and immediately down a row of cars.

There was more shouting, it echoed off the concrete in almost beat with the sound of my heels clacking against the ground as I felt my body heating up against the cold. It began to burn in my ears though and make me wince as my heart began to thud against my chest again, I could feel my hair lifting off my neck and whipping behind me as I spotted another group of stairs and ran for those. They were darker than the others but who knew how high up I actually was. The convention center was off ground for the most part after all and the hotel itself had so many fricken levels… 22 to be exact!

Taking a chance I grabbed the railing and began down. The man's voice rung out behind me.

"Good Luck To You Fem Greed!"

_What a strange dude!_ I shook my head as I moved as quickly as my feet would carry me and immediately fought back a curse as I merely ended up on another level. There was the sound of the walkie-talkies and shouting coupled with running echoing down to me making me throw myself towards the side and look down. It looked like I had one more level to go and I was good to go. My eyes flicked over towards my left hand where the tattoo of the Oroborus was sharpie'd onto it. _But Luck is what I could Use right now!_

I heard feet on the steps and darted back to the entrance towards the next level behind it. I let my hand hit the railing and began down. Once I was clear to the street and I could run and then double back. Hopefully I wouldn't freeze in that time but right now wasn't really the time to think about that. My foot caught the edge of another step and I went jolting forward, my hand moving to grasp the railing as my other foot moved.

There were voices behind me and I looked over my shoulder, eyes widening at the two men that stood behind me. Both were security and they both scowled back at me. I felt my foot make contact and then slide as it hit ice.

There was no time to think anything but "SHIT!" as my eyes which had turned back in time saw as my foot that had caught the edge before, my left, shoved down and forced myself in the air. The stairs began to glide under me and before I lowered, the wrong foot moving forward, my left again, to catch me.

I let out a hiss as it hit a step making my upper half come forward again, my hand moving for the railing, it missed and head first I plummeted to the floor. I reached my hands up on instinct to try and catch my head, however I felt as the concrete bit into my head, white hot pain taking my vision as I immediately clutched my head.

I heard ringing in my ears as it blotted out the world, my breathing heavy as I gasped for breath and shook with it trying to see through it. I didn't hear the men any more as I shut my eyes and let out a snarl of pain and felt warmth against my hands. Oh god I was bleeding! Shit! My hand shoved against my head to put pressure on it immediately and my vision began to clear as I pushed myself to my knees and then my feet.

I didn't look behind me to see if the two men were any closer as I began to stumble forward, my legs hobbling me forward towards a door that read something in big red letters above it. There was a push bar on it that called to me as my hand fake tattooed left hand came up and pressed against it.

_Good luck my ass._ I managed to think as I shoved my weight against it and it gave way. I let myself stumble forward again and immediately felt disgust as another group of steps were staring back at me.

The pain distracted me from further disgust, but if I never saw any stairs in my life again, I would die happy. Slowly I managed to reach over and grasp the railing, placing a foot down on it. A heavy step followed, and then another, green light hovered over me as it was warmer here than it was outside, before I felt my foot catch again.

"GOD DAMN YOU NO!" I shrieked as I felt my stomach drop and my body jolt forward. My hand groped for the railing that it had slipped off due to the sweat that had accumulated in it. My throat tightened as I snarled out as my shoulder collided with a stair, my body turning from the force.

My head caught and the pain doubled as I hit the ground and rolled, coming to a stop on my back, I stared at the ceiling as it swam and let felt something warm pooling down around me.

Great, blood was going to get on the fur now, it wouldn't ever come out. I was so screwed. It had taken forever to make the vest and…

God my head hurt… I felt so heavy too; something came into my fuzzy vision and hovered over me, making me wince as I stared up. A voice spoke as I shut my eyes letting out soft breaths.

"I told you, you should have gone inside, it's too cold for you to wear clothes like that." Hands moved down and touched my face, "Now you've gone and bashed your head twice fem Greed-chan."

My breathing echoed in my ears as I felt my eyes shut slowly and felt the feeling of his hands press to my face. It felt good… oddly good. My mind however piped up something as my body began to relax.

_Don't fall asleep in the cold, you'll freeze to death._

I shivered and forced my eyes to open. The man was still out of focus, the ceiling still swam, my head was cold. I wasn't going to fall asleep though. My hand pressed to the floor and I began to shove up. I was felt the man back up at this and a sound go through him before my eyes turned up to him. "…." I shoved my feet down to the ground and hopped up. Dizziness slammed into me and I fought back a snarl as black dots came into my vision.

My hand came up and covered half my face. I saw red on my glasses and winced for a few moments before I stood up straight again and my head felt light. "…That." I whispered out, "Was painful." My eyes turned over to the man with the camera, his own eyes wide as he stared at me before he let his lips pull into a smile.

Laughter began to go through him making my hand slowly fall. He grinned widely at me and I frowned, there was something odd about his teeth… however as I looked up at him he simply tilted his head at me and continued to grin widely. The green light covered his ash gray hair as it was slicked back before he leaned forward.

"You don't have much luck do you?" I watched as he pulled a crowbar up and tilted his head, "Pity." Vaguely I wondered what he was going to do with it, but I found out as he spun around and it slammed into the side of my head.

I was out before I hit the ground.

* * *

**A/N:** Short yes, I know. Let me know what you think!


	2. One Helluva Hangover

A/N: Thank you to **Kiki1245, SilverRavenofthefullmoon**, **Shadow-Chan 4, KarolReinhart**, and **ThePieWithTheFace, **also **an'stuuf** for reviewing! Alright then, I wanna say this is an alternate line for FMA too, so BATTER Up!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Fullmetal Alchemist manga, merchandise, and or anime. I own Cassi, and her in whole body mind and soul.

* * *

**One Helluva Hangover**

_My body twisted and my arms turned, the sound of the beat pounding up against my form a relief as I shut my eyes and raised them high. The rave was always a highlight of the convention, at least for me. It was the time DJ's showed their skill and I showed mine in return. Finding a suitable partner and dancing across from them._

_ The man across from me right now I had no doubt was gay. However he was the __**perfect**__ dancing partner for someone like me. We danced the same, lovingly, to ourselves, and in sound understanding. We had no desire to dance against each other, grinding, and groping where we could._

_ It was the process of using each other to shine. To show our skills and the way we could contort and twist our bodies in self-expression. In passion, in loneliness, to let go and let our forms move how they saw fit._

_ For him, I could never tell you what he wanted. However for me I knew right now, this was where everything was lost. It was where I allowed my body to let it all go and move without command. Spin, arms up, jump, fist pump, I… loved this._

_ There was few things I could say about my life now that I absolutely loved, but this was totally one. Without a doubt._

_ The man across from me smiled as I did in a mutual understanding. So did he. I twirled, one foot coming out and falling to a knee, and then pausing as I felt something cold. A feeling of dread followed, the sound of the techno music and DJ speaking lost to me as the world muted around me. Darkness blotted out the world and I stood up immediately, looking around._

_ I yelled out into, "Chip!" I stilled in response as all it did was echo and fly back to me, a wind following in its wake, causing my skirt to fly up and flutter, I ignored it before the wind underneath increase, my gaze dropped down, "what the…."_

_ An amethyst circle appeared beneath me, archaic lettering shooting along the lines and then unifying at the center. My body became the center point as another circle lined the first, then another, and another. I watched as at least seven rings appeared before the ground underneath my feet began to move. "The hell…"_

_ A purple eye stared back at me, the pupil growing smaller as it narrowed on me while my own dilated. My feet left the ground as a white light followed, a scream and then-_

I shot up gasping, harsh ragged breaths moving through me as my chest felt tight. My body felt sticky, the pleather stuck against my form. My hands pressed to the ground and I winced immediately as pain shot through them causing me to look down. My breathing became faster as red colored my vision. It drenched my hands, the salty metallic scent filling my nose, my ears felt hot, and my head buzzed.

Why were my hands covered in blood? What happened? Why was it all around me? My eyes flicked to the ground, the walls, and my clothes. It stuck on the fake fur of my vest, it held tightly to my bare arms and was turning brown in some places. I slowly forced myself up to my feet and felt dizziness stab at me. Black spots dotted my gaze and I stumbled forward. I felt for the wall, another pain shooting through my arm making me grit my teeth as my hand made contact with it.

My breathing echoed in my ears and I hissed lowly between my teeth, "Deep breaths, calm down, calm down…." My forehead pressed against the surprisingly hot wall my hand rested again and I shut my eyes, "…where am I?" I waited for the dizziness to go away before slowly lifting my head, looking left and right, I tilted my head. An alley, I was in an alley, the ground underneath me was cobblestone, however the red of blood stained it. I turned towards the area I had just lifted myself out of now and eyed it.

It splattered the walls, drenched the ground, and much of it was already dry. It honestly looked like a murder took place there…. Slowly I looked at my vest, the white lining of it was ruined with it, and the fur was chunking together as the blood acted as an adhesive. My arms were coated as well and my hands… I looked at the palms of my hands and then clenched them into fists.

Pain ripped through them immediately making me let out a choked back shout. I watched as fresh blood dripped down from the back of them onto the ground in a small stream of crimson. _What the hell is this? _Turning my hands over I stared at the back and then felt my breathing still. My body began to shake as I looked at both back of hands.

_What….?_ My eyes took in way my raw flesh stood out from the blood, hot and pink in places, red in others around the skin that had not been missing. I couldn't quite comprehend what I was looking at at the moment, the hot pain, the fresh blood, two symbols stuck in my head making a wave of dizziness hit me. I stumbled back, hitting the wall and began to feel my breath quicken as my eyes shut, my hands drifting to my head.

Fresh blood mingled in with the old as I gripped my hair and gritted my teeth. Tears began to form and I fought back a cry, inhaling shakily and almost fighting for gasps I attempted to get myself back under control. _Calm down, just calm down. Calm the hell down. Stop crying, deep breaths, calm. _My inner chanting did nothing to help really.

My legs gave and I sat back on the ground, grasping my knees to my chest and shutting my eyes as I forced my head onto my knees. One breath, then another, soon the tears began to slow, and dry, then another breath. Forced deep breaths echoed in my ears fought myself for control. I wasn't allowed to lose it out of all things. To do so would end up badly, I was already lost, I didn't need to be lost and panicked.

I allowed myself once I regained myself to look at the back of my hands again. The shock hitting me but not as hard. My ears went hot and my heart pounded in my chest, but I forced myself to continue staring.

Someone had carved the skin out of the top of my hands into two symbols. I gulped this knowledge down painfully and let my eyes dart up towards the sky and then around the alley I was in, before looking back down. Someone had carved my fake tattoo out of my hand. I could see the ink left from the marker though, the cut had been much more precise than my quick fake sharpie tat though. The snake eating it's tail and the star with in it stood out vividly in crimson compared to my pale white skin that had become my hands. Something I only noticed through the cracks of flesh that were peeking out from underneath the crusted blood.

That was my left hand, my right hand also brought my eyes slowly over to it and I flinched now at the carved eye that stared back at me. Watching me, almost daring me to say something about it. The skin around the pupil wasn't cut out, however the outlining, a bold thick line of red, and the pupil and iris itself were cut out artistically. Blood leaked down from the lines of it, dripping onto the ground.

Who did this too me? My bloody hands, burning and aching came up into my hair again as I let one leg slowly drop, the other remaining propped. Someone had cut into me, who? When? I shut my eyes, recalling into my past and then fighting back a soft snarl as dizziness came back. I ignored it though and tried to dig deeper. There was the con, Chip giving me alcohol, and then me running for being carded, and then someone… something… I shut my eyes tightly and gritted my teeth. _Who? _

_"Good Luck To You Fem Greed!" _

…Fuckin' A. The dizziness disappeared as my head began to hurt with a familiar pain. I had only had it once before, and that was when I was a kid and I got hit with a skateboard in the head, but I knew it. That bastard hit me with a crowbar and knocked me out. And…. And…

Where the hell had he taken me? I slowly looked around and forced myself to my feet, breathing soft as I looked at the blood, then at my form, and then at my hands which were slowing in bleeding but were also pale white. I most certainly was not in Columbus, Ohio any more. The air was warm, even in the alley, it wasn't cold like outside. My pleather stuck to me in places, however I wasn't sure if that was from sweat forming or the blood caking. I moved a few steps down the alley and then paused and looked back at the bloody scene.

It looked like something from a murder mystery. Only the victim was very well walking, and unsure on how that much blood occurred. I looked ahead though hearing voices and then immediately behind me to see shadows approaching the alley. My eyes flicked around for a few moments before I began down the current way I was headed. I very well couldn't be seen at a scene like that when I myself was covered from head to foot in dry splotches of blood and had the fresh shit covering my hands.

I don't think who ever it was would take it too well and I was confused enough already. Shaking my head I let my feet pick up and darted to my right, into another alley that had shade in it as it blocked out the sun with a building's roof. Here I could see light at the end of it though, leading into an open space, probably the street. Letting out a breath I leaned back against the wall behind me, crouching down, and shut my eyes as I heard the footsteps stop and a gasp.

My body tucked closer to the dark wall and my head lay back against it as I tightened my eyelids and bit my lip. To be found covered in blood would never end well, it didn't matter the circumstances. I felt my hands continue to burn before coldness began at my fingertips making me glance over at them. That couldn't be a good sign. Bad circulation was something I was used too, so the cold coming from them wasn't surprising, but it let me know how bad things were getting.

With that notion though, a felt my chest tighten and my jaw sting as my teeth clenched in the beginnings of rage. Some guy I didn't even know knocked me out with a frickin' crowbar and then decided it would be funny to mock me by cutting things into my hands! Who the hell does that! Further more, he took me and left me in the middle of fuckin' no where! What did this achieve? No, better yet, why, in the grand scheme of who the fuck knows what; would someone does that!

I felt my teeth strain under the force as I shut my eyes tighter and heard the footsteps get closer; they were starting to match my hammering heart's beating in my ear.

_ Don't stop beside me, don't stop beside me, for the love of GOD don't stop beside me._ They stilled just before the corner, my eyes opening as I heard a female voice ring through the alley. I strained my ears, as it was followed by a quiet, and easy monotone voice, but boy was it _raspy_. Soon, footsteps began to move away from me, my body slowly relaxing against the wall and a sigh following as they disappeared from my hearing.

After counting three whole minutes under my breath though, did I finally look around the corner to see the alley now empty.

_Close call._ I shoved myself upward, a hissing exiting me as my knees strained and ached. You see, a crash that happened the spring break of my college freshmen year left them a little battered, however my little worse for wear knees were the worst of my problems, as I was still covered in dried blood.

_Maybe I should concentrate on getting the dried blood off, and then figuring out where the hell I am._ My eyes flicked up at the buildings around me as I thought this. It would probably be a better idea anyhow, I mean I wouldn't look like a serial killer if I wasn't covered in blood, maybe just a confused hipster instead, or a clubber that got lost on the wrong side of town… yeah…

I glanced down at the back of my hand in the process and gave a small nod. I should probably get the two freaky carvings that were still bleeding a little covered as well. Who knew what strange looks I would get if they were spotted.

Rage moved through me again at the thought of someone cutting into me but I forced it down while shutting my eyes tightly. Shaking my head, little chunks that had glued together through dried blood hitting me in the face in the process, I focused. _Get clean, get bandaged, and find out where you are. Don't think about anything else until THOSE THREE THINGS are done._

I began down the alley again with this mantra now going through my head. The sound of my zip up heel boots clacking with each step. A soft hiss continuing as each part of my body seemed to sting a little more with each movement, making me question just what the hell that bastard actually did to me.

I stopped by a ladder after turning one to the left, into another alley and paused, looking up slowly as it lead to a fire escape which dangled over a dumpster. Tracing up it, adjusting my glasses lightly, I decided to take my chances.

Climbing up it in heels was the tricky part, but there was no way in hell I was taking them off at the moment. They were big heels, not small stilettos, though I would congratulate any woman (or man) who climbed up the fire escape in those in a heartbeat, so it wasn't impossible.

It just took tact. My reaching the first landing brought a sigh of relief to me. I moved quietly towards the window and crouched down beside it, my knees cracking in the process as I let a hand come rest gently against the grated floor beneath me. I studied the darkness, I didn't want to go any higher if need be, but one could never tell. It wouldn't be as bad though considering it was all stairs from here.

There was no movement, and as I looked up, I saw the sky starting to dim a little. A soft growl exited me as I shifted forward and grasped the window, yanking upward.

It was locked. So I didn't the next thing. I knocked on the glass. There was no movement inside; any sound? I was trying not to get caught, so this wasn't the best idea in anyway, but I was out of those at the moment, so why not? I knocked harder.

Rather safe than sorry. Leaning forward, I studied the window lock and then looked back down, no one was coming, and I didn't hear anything. It was very possible that who ever owned the room/apartment, thing, was out and could come back at any time… Or it could be that no one lived there at all.

_Does it matter?_ I questioned briefly, before common sense came and bashed me in the head with the proverbial bitch slap. OF COURSE it MATTERED. There was a difference between breaking into an empty room and then breaking into an inhabited one. One had less chances of you getting caught in it… I scooted a little away from the window and a shine from the light above me hit it, lighting the room up a little.

I wasn't seeing any personal items or belongings, there was a bed, but it was a just a mattress, with no sheets, pillows… anything.

_I guess that means no one lives here._ Looking up, I checked the window lock again. It looked old, so I gave another yank on the window, watching as it jerked up a little but then went back to rest. Looking over my shoulder, I checked below me, and then down the alley. No one was coming still, and the road was nowhere insight. Given I was in civilization, warm civilization mind you, there had to be one somewhere.

Shaking my head at the thought though I went back to the current dilemma at hand. This effing lock.

Another yank, it still didn't move. I felt my lips pulling back into a growl before I gave a multiple of yanks causing the lock to bounce up and down in rebuttal to my movement. My fingers starting to burn again, (not a good sign) I leaned back away from the window and winced. Maybe there were other windows?

I did a quick check, finding the others occupied oddly enough. At one point a little boy looked out the window and spotted me, starting to bawl immediately which made me practically fly back to window I had been fighting with before hand. I didn't want to be on the receiving end of that kid's parents after all…

Though I would think with my current appearance, which if I ever got the freakin' window open, would change, they would think they were about to be on the receiving end of _me._

Sighing one last time, I glared at the window and grabbed it on the bottom of it. With a groan and a heave, I yanked upwards this time and continued to pull at it. There was little movement, and then I heard a metallic 'ting'. The window flew open, my balance lost, and I fell face forward through it.

"Oomph!"

For a few moments all I could do was sit there and stare at the dust covered wooden floor, and then look up. Pulling the rest of myself in, I shoved myself to my feet and shut the window behind me. Taking a step forward, my foot hit the lock which had come off, reaching down I grasped it and then stood up, using the peeking sunlight to eyeball it for a few moments.

_Ha. _I felt a small smile come onto my lips as I threw it over my shoulder, _It was rusted!_ The dimming light from what I could only guess was the sun setting was making it harder to see. Instinctually I searched out a light switch, but stopped once I finally found it.

_I'm not here._ Was what my mind hissed, grudgingly, I accepted the fact that light just wasn't a good idea, and turned towards two of the other doors that were in the room. Walking over the first, which was on the back wall, I opened it and spotted it lead into a hallway. I immediately shut it, locked the door, and then used the little chain lock that accompanies it.

The second door, led me to the bathroom. Complete with sink, shower and bath, and toilet. Though there was no toilet paper. With a grudging sigh though, I took a bar of soap, that was wrapped in paper, so I guessed complementary, and began to strip down.

Honestly, I had no idea on how to wash Pleather, I had once asked a seamstress on the methods, but not even she knew how. Also when it came to faux fur, the only thing I could ever guess was dry clean

Something that definitely wasn't at my disposal at the moment.

That didn't mean I couldn't try my best though with what I had. Which was virtually nothing.

_I have soap and that's it. _I found myself grumbling. _What the fuck am I supposed to do with just soap beside from get the blood off my body and clothes. I can't get it out of white lining and freaking White faux fur!_

The fates did not smile kindly on me, as no miracle happened to take care of this problem either. I didn't have any bleach on me, so that was out of the question, the soap wouldn't work because some of the blood had already dried, and I didn't see any nearest stores that would have a freakin' Shout Stick to take care of my problem! A low, quiet, enraged growl came from my mouth as I began to fill up the tub quietly and painfully slowly.

I would clean my clothes first, then, myself so that way they could dry in the process of me getting blood off my skin. _I'm going to need bandages at some point too. _That was another thing; I would need to wrap my hands up. I didn't want anyone thinkin' I needed to go to the funny farm because of masochistic urges and occult beliefs in symbols.

_After all, out of sight, out of mind. Their minds. _Unfortunately no where near close to mine.

Once the tub was full I threw my clothing in there, shoes included, and began to attack it viciously with the soap bar. Going back to my thoughts as to distract me from the uncomfortable fact I was cleaning so much of my blood off my clothes.

After that, I would have to find out where the hell I was.

_Then what after that though? _I paused in scrubbing a part of my white lining, making little progress. It was better than nothing though. _What do I do after I find out where the hell I am? _I looked up at the ceiling, the light was on in here since the door was shut, and let out a slow breath through my nostrils.

"After that…" I mumbled to myself, "Well, after that I guess I track down that bastard."

_And rip his god damn head off._

I went back to scrubbing with that in mind, and winced at what was to come. Given how the first few hours of my consciousness was turning out…

I was getting exhausted just thinkin' about it.

* * *

**A/N:** Yay! Breaking and Enterings, always fun! Sorry it took me a little bit to get this up, but I've been so busy with schoolwork! So alrighty, you've read, review, let me know what ya'll thought, and I'll see you next chapter!

**Omake **

Sighing one last time, I glared at the window and grabbed it on the bottom. With a groan and a heave, I yanked upwards this time and continued to pull at it. Staring at the window lock, which didn't move what so ever from it's slightly elevated spot. What the hell? Did someone just install this goddamn thing?

Finally giving into frustration, my zipped up boot went through it instead. The sound of glass shattering made my entire body cringe but a sick satisfaction went through me as I slid in like a snake and looked around. It was empty and dusty as hell. Inhaling slowly, I gave a cough and moved forward, the glass crunching underneath my feet. With my hands on my hips, I looked around, and then back towards the window. A sigh went through me before I looked back ahead.

"Hope they don't take that out of my rent."


	3. HelterSkelter

**A/N: **And finally, the next chapter of this story! Thank you for reviewing to….

**Ikickcommieass, AkatsukiGirl1990, Twilight-Traveler, **and **Sora0995.**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Fullmetal Alchemist manga, merchandise, and or anime. I own Cassi, and her in whole body mind and soul.

**Warning:** Lots of cussing this chapter.

* * *

**Helter-Skelter**

As it turned out, one _couldn't _get blood completely out of white fluff or for that matter, white fluff and lining with just soap. I learned this the hard way by scrubbing until my hands were raw, and finding that the soap did little to nothing but make my fur matted and my lining pink.

So I gave up on the vest and cut what I could of it to make strips cleaning it best I could, for my hands. However, the tank top turtleneck I had created that I wore underneath it, and the pants for that matter, were a little less of an issue. While soap caused white streaks that looked like dust formed on the pleather from the soap, taking another hour after I got all the blood off, I also had to get that out with just hot water and a wash cloth; I had managed to save my pants and my tank top. My socks I had been wearing underneath them with my zip up boots were a little less of an issue as well having only been rimmed with blood. By raiding the cabinets within the bathroom, attempting to be as quiet as I could for that matter, I found black boot polish and soon took care of any issues that would have occurred otherwise on my zip ups as well.

By the time I was able to bathe myself, with only a little bit of the soap left, I was practically falling asleep in the shower, even though I was thanking whoever had been listening quietly behind the scenes for small favors. When I had finally gotten to sleep on the couch that night, my clothes hung up to dry on the shower curtain in the bathroom, I slept, for at least for what I thought, like the dead.

...I was proven wrong however when I found that my miracle had ended- when I woke up to hear someone inserting a key within the door. My eyes snapping open making me glance over and run immediately to the bathroom, attempting to be as quiet footed as I could and shutting the door. I heard the knob rattle and then the stop of the chain and tensed, grabbing what I could and yanking it on as quickly as I could as well.

That caused some noise, my foot hopping to yank the pants on, followed by my feet and soft hisses of 'shit shit shit' as I attempted to pull on my boots and the cut tank top before I managed finally, yanking my hair back with one of the remaining strips of pleather before I shoved my hands over my mouth, hearing a soft grunt from outside and then a 'ting.' I opened the door slightly and peeked out, trying to prevent the pounding in my heart and panting of my breath as someone walked in, looking around with a scowl.

The man stood taller than me, and I took notice as it glinted in the light that he held a katana in his hand. A white gi hugged from what I could see to be a very toned and muscular chest. A black belt pulling it shut and the sheath of the katana on his hip, connecting. My eyes moved upward and I bit my lip fretfully as his head tilted back. His hair swooped backwards in an odd slant, a light brown that looked really soft too… I watched as he sniffed loudly before stilling and looking directly at the door.

Directly at the open crack.

Directly at _me_.

_Fuck. _He stalked towards the door and I backed away frantically, looking around before I watched his hand reach for the door as he stood in front of the crack. _Fuck -_

_ What if I kick open the door? What if he stabs me the moment I kick it, what do I do? What do I do? What do I- DO IT!_ My foot shot up and I slammed it against the door, hearing the startled grunt as with a bang it shot open and smacked him in the shoulder knocking him so he faced the wall and not the door, I lunged forward as soon as it did and heard a loud snarl of, "HEY" As I moved for the window. The door was gaping open but I heard him racing after me soon enough before I grabbed hold of the window and shoved it open, grabbing the sides and throwing myself out with a jump. I tucked and my hands came out, hitting the grated fire escape making pain race up both of them, before my legs fell in front of me making me fall to my back

I heard a grunt and then forced myself up, my thighs burning making me grab the railing and stiffly hobble down the stairs. I looked over my shoulder, finding him in the window, a foot perched on the sill, staring down and a look I couldn't quite describe on his face. He didn't move for a few moments, and I paused, the pain in my legs lessened though and I grabbed the railing, throwing myself down the next flight of stairs and landing with a slight stumble before using the momentum to take me down the next flight.

By the time I hit the ground by sliding down the ladder rather than climbing down it (the fact this ended up successful stunned me), I stared up again to see if he was still there. I found he had moved onto the fire escape, but was leaning against the railing, arms crossed against it. His katana now sheathed, and eyebrows furrowed together from what I could make out.

The silence held for a few more moments. I internally questioned if he was going to chase me down. I frowned, anxiety bubbled, holding itself down in my throat attempting to pull a soft nervous giggle that would no doubt erupt into full blown paralyzing laughter if I didn't look away. Gritting my teeth behind closed lips I limped for a few moments before finding my legs again and jogging away from it, feeling eyes burning into the back of my head and not leaving for some time. At least until I turned multiple corners and soon shoved my hands in my pockets, moving into a public place.

It looked kind of like a town square to be honest, my body collapsing on a bench and shutting my eyes as I let my head fall into my hands while my elbows rested on my knees. I could feel warm blood beginning to seep lightly from my wounded hands, looking at them in another panic. I couldn't see any red coming from them. _It has to be just from my head… It all has to just be in my head…_ Maybe I was going insane, I was still in the con, and this was just one massive hallucination. I flicked the back of one hand and flinched at the pain going through it before shutting my eyes letting my head roll back as I leaned back against the bench. My arms raised and I let my legs splay out in front of me for a few moments stretching out and feeling the warmth of the sun bear down on me comfortably.

"Fuck…" Well no one was looking at me, and there were quite a few people there. I stared at the sky as clouds moved across it, shutting my eyes soon enough as the sun continuously hit them before tilting my head this way and that, my neck popping in the process. Rolling my shoulders, I left my hands limp on the top of the bench and opened an eye lazily with a wince. "…This is a right cluster fuck…" Shutting my eye I let out a low sigh. What if he came back and decided he _was_ gonna chase me? I pictured the man in my head and thought on it for a few moments, tonguing the side of my cheek as I felt my heart starting to calm down, my breathing becoming softer and softer, and my thoughts wandering slightly.

I pulled my focus back though as something caught my attention. His face being the particular, and those narrowed eyes. Then the katana.

What the hell was a katana doing in a fully functioning civilization like this one? I looked about, seeing people walk with blonde hair and blue eyes, even the occasional car. The man had yelled at me in English as well too… But… The katana… the katana was out of place.

Just like _I _was out of place. I huffed and yawned before grunting and letting my arms come down before pulling myself up and slumping forward. _He had a fucking Katana… why did he have that?_ That didn't seem right at all in his current setting. I shook my head before running a hand through my hair. "Well at least I'm out now…" Getting out of the room I stayed the night in had been a worry, but now it had been forcibly resolved…

I turned my hands up to the sky, "Now I just have to find a place to sleep…" I would worry about it as it was getting closer to dark though, right now it seemed like it wasn't even noon yet. It was probably only nine or ten in the morning. My hands ached from yesterday, and itched as well from the material on them. I resisted the urge to scratch and hiss at it before grumbling and rolling my eyes. Resting a hand on the bench I shoved myself up, standing straight and feeling black spots dot my eyes again. "Whoa…" I grabbed hold of the bench to steady myself. "…I need to find something to eat or drink…" It was either blood loss, my blood sugar was low, or I was starving causing the spots.

My guess was it was all three. I had yet to eat anything since I took that gulp of Chip's alcohol, not to mention, if I was perfectly _sane_ and this was real, I had lost quite a bit of blood… And then there was the fact of if I didn't have much blood, then my sugar was of course low. In short, I shouldn't even be standing. Not to mention…

I should have been much hungrier than I was. I had yet to hear my stomach even growl though for food. Rubbing my face, the pleather scratching at it where the threads were loose, I growled and then began to stalk away from the bench towards a crowded street. I had things I needed to do. I got clean; I got the blood off, now I had to be on the third part of that goal. Finding the man-

_Find where I AM_. My mind snapped making me soon blink and slowly nod. I suppose that was another thing I should do. If I could find out where I was, then maybe, perhaps, I could figure out what the hell happened to me and who had kidnapped me exactly… also it might help me track down the old man. I wouldn't mind that, my fist still wanted to say hello to his face, as well as maybe his throat with my nails so that way I could rip it out and-

_WHOA WHOA WHOA! WHERE THE HELL DID THAT COME FROM!? _I ripped apart my thought process staring wide-eyed up at the sky for a few moments in almost shock before letting my gaze drop back down. I rubbed my jaw and covered my mouth, staring out for a few moments as my right hand felt more sore than my left while letting my mind take a stab at what the hell I just witnessed within myself.

What the hell was I doing? Thinking about ripping out old men's' throats? That wouldn't fix anything! That didn't even work out logically! I wanted to find him and get back, not kill him so I was stranded wherever the hell I was forever. Particularly if he was the asshole that landed me here in the first place! Punching him wasn't going to be an instant kill, but ripping out his throat… My hand dropped from my jaw and I looked at the back of my right that still stung quietly. I splayed it out with a low breath, spreading my fingers apart causing it to burn more intensely. I winced as I saw a trickle of blood came down in between my middle and pointer finger, before dripping down onto the ground.

I almost let out a low snarl before rubbing my face with my other hand, the one that to my knowledge was _not_ bleeding. "Christ." I muttered shaking my head again and slowly moving away from the bench, "Maybe I _should_ eat something, before I'm foaming at the mouth…" Maybe the stress was getting to me, this entire thing was out of left field, from nowhere to my knowledge and just came and blasted me right in the face. I found a crowded place and began to move down the street into all of it, listening as people were speaking. The English here was accented, but I couldn't tell with what. I'm not sure I cared either though at this point as I was attempting to place myself rather than place them.

I then winced a few moments as I passed a meat shop, reading the sign however in the process in the window. _For Dublith's Finest Meat in Amestris_.

Warning bells began to ring in the back of my head, making my eyes drift upward towards the sky before turning, seeing people clearing the streets and a large truck beginning to move down it. A small scowl coming to my face in the process as men and women walked around it and behind it. They were all in blue uniforms marching quietly in a fashion I was all too familiar with.

Military.

_There's a Military in Dublith. Dublith is in Amestris…_ I heard someone growling beside me quietly, a man in a cloak with a squeaky voice, "Those damned State Alchemists…" I glanced out of the corner of my eyes towards him, his nose peaking out like a beak before he then looked up towards the man beside him. A man wearing a rich maroon unbuttoned suit jacket and pants, with his black hair pulled back and bangs in the front grinned, his golden eyes glinting.

"They'll get theirs' soon enough Bido…" I looked away soon enough, and then forward again before flinching as my mind kicked up and my right hand ached with fresh white-hot pain.

_State Alchemists? Dublith? Amestris? Fucking A… _I was either having the most ironic hallucination or I was just completely off my rocker, or… I was knocked off my ass and into another reality… I felt myself unbalanced for a moment and sat down on the ground, seeing the short man next to me in the ragged cloak grunt and flinch, looking towards me as I grasped my ankles and bent my head forward for a few moments shutting my eyes with a frown.

_My head…_ I now knew why the man in the room looked odd and out of place… And I also knew his name. But for purposes of using humor in a most serious situation, I was just going to call him 'Dog man' for now and call it a day. I took a few moments of just let my mind get around what I was even suggesting though for a seconds. _Okay… so… The man next to me is Bido, the men and women in the military, well this Bido guy just said they were State Alchemists, or he's cursing the State Alchemists. The good lookin' guy beside him…. _I opened my eyes for a few moments and glowered to the side from the corner of them, as the two weren't looking at me anymore and spotted a small blue circle covering the bottom of the man's hand, including a little bit of his palm.

I looked away, staring at the ground before sighing and getting to my feet, stretching my arms above me, and then rubbing my face looking out. No one paid any attention to me, and that was wonderful as I turned, hands slipping in my pockets and then began to move away, untying my hair and then releasing it. I passed quietly a group of people, keeping my head down for the moment as I passed them with a small frown. Turning a corner, I soon leaned against the wall propping a foot up and crossing my arms, flexing my hands lightly with a small glower as they ached and screamed in pain with each moment. I winced shutting my eyes once again before letting out a very slow breath.

_There's no way…_ I began to deny. I shook my head, _No way no way… That would be too ironic, too cliché… _It would, but the fact that it was a possibility in itself was one that all together frightened me and made me swallow the saliva in my mouth while biting the inside of my cheek. _Okay.. so let's just say, for a moment, I believed the fact I landed in Fullmetal Alchemist._ For a moment, I would just consider this. My breathing was low as I reached up with both hands and began to yank my fingers through my hair. "Okay, let's just say that I did."

Then what? There was _so_ _much_ shit that occurred in Dublith in the story line, Greed's second appearance in the anime, his first in the manga. The chimera folks that were successful, Dorochet (Dog man), Martel, Roa, Bido, these were people that were in the anime and the manga, though there were a few in the anime I could never remember other than Doc and Tucker, a former chimera alchemist. Kimblee's second appearance, in both anime and the manga. Izumi Curtis and her husband, the Elric brothers showing up, Alphonse Elric being held hostage, not to mention Fuhrer Bradley showing up to dispatch Greed, or in the case of the manga, capture…

So let's just say, for a moment, I _believed_ that I was now in Fullmetal Alchemist and had already had a run in with Dorochet, and just stood beside Bido and Solf J. Kimblee, which said that this was the anime for the moment given Kimblee's clothing. Let's just say _that just happened _and that_ this is real._

And let's also just conclude with that, that I had no fucking ideaon what to do about it. Or rather, there was _so much_ that I could do, that maybe I should do that could save so many lives, maybe even change the outcome on some things that I felt shouldn't have occurred like Dorochet, Roa, and Martel dying. That had _always_ bugged me.

_If you interfere…_I crouched down and grasped my chin wincing in the process and letting out a breath. My elbows rested on my knees, _couldn't that fuck with the storyline though? _That was always a good point. Greed's character developed in the manga strictly for the reason that his subordinates died. I rubbed my face again before tilting my head and resting my chin on top of my wrist so my hands would stop aching so much, "okay… okay okay okay…" I exhaled and stared at the ground for a moment before shoving to my feet, "…" Should I stick around or continue as I was? Shouldn't I find the old guy and force him to throw me back to Columbus? Or…

I winced as my conscious got hold of me, glancing to the side and my scarred up shoulder in my eye catching my attention before I looked back ahead, could I _really_ just walk away without at least attempting to do _something_ in order to sway what would happen to what was one of my favorite character's and his little group?

First of all, if this _was_ the anime, the 2003 one judging by Kimblee's clothing, the one that didn't majorly follow the story line of the manga to a 'T' such as Brotherhood did; it was Kimblee who would be the one to sell Greed out. I glowered, _fucker_.

There would be distinct things though that would give them away; I had to figure out what plotline this was first. The fact he was wearing what he was could be a dead give away… but…

_I'm here. _I looked around, searching the alleys and then moving out, hand moving into my pockets as I stood on the side of a deserted road, the crowded on long behind me. That was right, I was here. I was here in Dublith, in Amestris. I was a key component now of what _shouldn't_ be here.I was already affecting the storyline simply by existing… so there was a change already. The fact I was here.

_Maybe I won't affect anything? _I looked about hopefully before then slumping in defeat. If I was lucky that would be the case, staying away, staying perhaps behind the scenes… But with everyone in danger…

_Maybe that's not the case?_ I almost wanted to grimace, despite the fact of if I chose to do something or not, there were still some necessary factors to take into account. Like one, I was nowhere near military experienced, or for that matter combat. I preferred the turn and run routine because I didn't _know_ how to fight. Two, I didn't have any special powers, any really special qualities; in this case all I had was my brain. Or maybe the ability to hold a gun if my hands stopped ever hurting.

I wasn't a beautiful cliché character that just magically dropped into a fucking magical world and had all these special powers she automatically knew about. I had two carvings on the back of my hands that screamed in pain each time the pleather straps hiding them brushed against e'm, the beginnings of a headache, a pain in my left ribs caused by loose tissue in between them that occasionally went into spasms, an OICD (obsessive impulse control disorder) that had me yanking my hair out since fifth grade since I was about 11, and a scar on my shoulder that was caused by such trauma I didn't even know how the hell I got it!

Oh yeah, a lot of fucking well I could do to help anyone out, not when I myself was such a mess. However I still couldn't irk the fact it would probably bug me to not do _anything_ while knowing that _something_, even if I didn't know what exactly, _was going to happen._

I was stuck between a rock and a freight train and there was no goddamn way to move out of its' path. I could leave to go find the old man, trying to track him down by asking around and attempting to be completely normal or I could stick around and help the chimeras, or rather _attempt_ to help them and Greed in the background. Possibly and probably losing the old man on what was already to me, a cold trail.

"What the hell do I do?" I dragged my right hand down my face barely paying any attention to where I was walking while staring at the ground; there was really no _good_ clear answer on what to choose. If I didn't look for the old man, then I was stuck to my knowledge here, as he was the only conclusion I had for the one who sent me here. If I went to help the homunculus I had come to admire, and hell even cosplay, then I could get sucked into his games if I was caught and once Greed had someone in his grasp, he didn't just _let go_.

It was funnily enough, something we had in common. I bit my lip and shook my head again before letting my hands fall limp to my sides. On top of this, I still needed to find something to eat, as well as a place to sleep for the night. My current indecision though seemed more detrimental than either of those factors, making me shut my eyes and growl softly.

I should have never done that. Let it be known kids, don't ever close your eyes while walking down a sidewalk. Pay absolute attention to your surroundings. Why, might you ask?

Because my shoulder slammed into someone, twisting me around and making me grunt as I fell backwards landing on my backside while using my hands to keep myself from falling any further back causing pain to race through my senses, and making me feel as the bandaged skin began to tear. Feeling that warm wet feeling that could only be blood, I winced and grimaced, getting ready to open my eyes and immediately give someone an ass ripping like no other out of the hot stings that were the top of my hands, and the frustration that was starting to cause tears to start in the corner of my eyes. When I finally paused to look up though, I found myself staring at the most terrifying creature ever to step foot in this town- no, in all of Amestris, scratch that, let's just say the entire world and wrap it up for the day.

I found myself staring up at Izumi Curtis, who was staring at me as though I was the most vile and disgusting creature on the earth. I watched her mouth open in a snarl making me tense inwardly for the onslaught before she paused in the first word and then looked down quieting, staring at my hands. This made me grunt and glance down at well only to see the red that was beginning to trickle from in between the bandages and my fingers, sufficiently painting them red.

"You're bleeding." Her voice was rather blunt and I simply stared at my palms, opening my fingers causing more blood to rush out for a few moments, before I then closed my fingers tight together, watching as the blood continued down my knuckles and then part of it on my arm. It was hot, but it didn't really burn or sting in contrast to earlier where it just kept hurting, so I slowly looked up and stared at her quietly, before looking back down.

"…Seems… seems I am." Was all I managed out before pushing myself to my feet, "Sorry for bumping into you ma'am. I'll be on my way now." I twisted to move off before a hand grabbed my shoulder making me tense immediately and cringe.

"You should get that looked at by someone who knows what they're doing and have it properly taken care of, have it at least stitch it or wrapped right." Her voice was firm and I almost twisted out of her grasp immediately, but I found myself looking over my shoulder instead. The mental image of a needle shoving into my carved out wounds, attempting to sew them together making my heart jump and my throat work to swallow something as it felt instantly dry. "Come with me, I think I can take care of it for you at my shop. It doesn't seem too serious."

_Oh nah, I'm just causing the Red Sea, nothing to be anxious about at all lady…._ I managed to gulp and winced for a moment, looking back down at my hands. How would she react to seeing the tattoo of the Oroborus on one of my hands, and a giant fucking eye on the other, carved out onto my skin? What would happen the moment she saw that? Would she freak? Would she immediately try and kill me?

_She didn't try and kill Wrath in the first anime…_ My mind muttered quietly, _Well not at first…_ What would happen? _Curiosity killed the cat Cass, you're a cat, remember that! You're a cat!_

"…Alright…"

I will admit here and now, I would probably never have the balls it took to decline this woman. But on the other side of that… Izumi Curtis ran a Meat Shop…

And hungry or not, I really _needed_ to eat something.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, my stomach growled in agreement.

* * *

**A/N: **And the end of the chapter has arrived! I know I know, you all want Greed to show up, but that's no good to just have him be like –throws open the door in Greed cosplay and struts- BAM! Here. So patience… again please. I'll see you all next chapter, but please, be kind and let me know what you thought of this one.

* * *

**Omake:**

He stalked towards the door and I backed away frantically, looking around before I watched his hand reach for the door as he stood in front of the crack. _Fuck -_

_What if I kick open the door? What if he stabs me the moment I kick it, what do I do? What do I do? What do I- DO IT!_ My foot shot up and I slammed it against the door, he leaned back to avoid it hitting him and I jumped out at the last moment with my arms up with a frantically happy, "SURPRISE!"

He paused; staring at me wide eyed, before looking towards the bathroom door, then back towards me, then back towards the bathroom. I then tapped his nose watching his hand immediately slap over it and back away from me as I stated leaning forward, "I am the Bathroom Faerie! May all your bacteria now come in less frequency than it's usual manner!" Walking backwards I watched that confused look remain on his face, staring back at the door before looking once more at me. I reached the door and grasped the knob, giving a rather enthusiastic curtsey, shutting my eyes and smiling, I waved with one hand opening and closing it at the fingers in the process, "Have a nice day!" I shut the door, listened for a few moments, and began to sprint as far away from the door as quickly as possible.

"I hope he doesn't need to use the soap." I passed a woman with a tattoo up her neck, and then a large man accompanying her with platinum blonde hair that were approaching the door as I rounded a corner out of their sight. I grimaced looking at the big man as well in the process before shaking my head and muttering to myself as I made it to the stairs, "On second thought, I just hope he doesn't drop what's left of it."


	4. Die Hard

**A/N:** So I began watching brotherhood and the wheels began cranking for this story.

I expect many people to either be lost, or understand what is going on by the end of the chapter. A clearer narrative will follow in the next chapter likely. So thank you to those who have been waiting patiently for an update. And even more so for those who have reviewed.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Fullmetal Alchemist manga, merchandise, and or anime. I own Cassi, and her in whole body mind and soul.

**Die hard**

The sound of fighting ceased as the engine roared, my heart pounded in my chest as my hands bled through the fresh bandages surrounding them. Larger hands beside me gripped the sides of the vehicle for dear life. The banged up front of it smoked lightly, concerning me as my foot found the break and I spun the wheel and pulled the e-brake.

The vehicle slammed its' side into Führer Bradley, knocking him backwards and down the line after he turned to see me coming. My jaw ached from the teeth that were so tightly clenched so they wouldn't rattle. I tasted blood in my mouth and my cheek pained.

There wasn't much time. The engine still purring, my wounded compatriots laying amongst the car. The sound of my own yells calling out to the woman in the suit of armor that was stilled in shock before she burst from them and quickly darted to the body laying face down with the blade through his throat. Removing it and pulling him up and into the vehicle, I threw the damned thing into reverse as the body yards away from us started to get up.

Terror washed over me as my ears flamed hot and my hand blazed cold. I couldn't think as my foot slammed the gas and I looked over my shoulder. The blonde who jumped in screamed, "MOVE IT!"

Like she had to tell me twice. Close to pissing myself I didn't even speak. I just did as commanded and focused on over my shoulder. Ignoring the blood in the bottom of the car, ignoring it's bleeding occupants. Ignoring the people I set out to save…

I soon came to the open entrance way I had created, the blast of the dynamite enough to have get the vehicle through to begin with. I slammed the brakes and pressed the gas to put the vehicle forward after skidding past it, gunning it through. I heard a roar of rage from behind me and ducked my head, gunfire coming from the front. A male in the vehicle yelling get down while I saw white and black from the side. Wide-eyed and bordering hysteria, I watched as Izumi's lidded gaze saw me fly by. Gritting my teeth and looking forward, I focused on the next process of my 'brilliant' escape plan and 'fabulous' death wish.

Get out of town. Get everyone out of town. Run. Run and don't look back. I didn't even know what I was doing. Just acting. Just letting my wild mind go forth with it's brilliant plan that deemed action was more important at this time. It deemed the gasoline in the back that was stowed was necessary. The water canteens were safer. But my plan stopped at clearing town and going from there. It ended at my local know how of the geography. It gambled on these four people I saved from annihilation- and it screamed in rage at my temporarily forgotten prey.

The old man search had to be put on hold the moment as it happened. The moment I knew I was going to have to come and intervene was the moment Izumi Curtis wrapped my hands after stopping on the cuts and staring. Then smiling kindly at me and with guarded eyes. While I merely told her I had been jumped and woke up in an alleyway with them on me a week age despite it having been only a few days.

She fed me and gave me new clothes, a pair of black breeches and a white shirt with a bandana to put my hair up with. She went to go quietly talk to the boys staying with her; to speak to Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric, who I met temporarily and regarded me with suspicion that caused harshness to mar the eldest Elric's face, and the tension from the suit of armor, and I had to lie blatantly that I didn't remember anything, and even had to cry a little bit in fear that they would find out, while lying that I was terrified the person might come back and do it again…

When really, that's what I wanted him exactly to do…

But I digress, as it turns out kids, I couldn't take that and the knowledge I would stand by and know these people would die. That the military raid would go wrong, that Alphonse would be kidnapped and it would solidify the death sentences of dozens.

…And I was the only one who knew. The only one who could try and stop it. So I did what any sane person would do. I tried to intervene.

So here I was. Driving a stolen vehicle, the infamous Devil Crew's nest in my passenger and back seat clinging for dear life as I drove like demons were on my tail. Silently praying this cockamamie plan of mine worked. Hands bleeding through my bandages, bruises from a beating marring my face, body shaking and mind clear with adrenaline-fueled focus, combined with a mad case of tunnel vision towards the outskirts of town.

Most people say things like 'it wasn't hard,' at this point, right? No. It was hard, it sucked. Helping people sucks. I fucking hate helping people. Right now, this sucks. I'm getting shot at. I'm a teenager from nowhere Columbus and I'm in GOD DAMN FMA, getting SHOT AT. It's a fangirl's wet dream right?!

I loathed right now, to be perfectly honest. I loathed myself the most, for my goody two-shoesness. But I mostly loathed the old man; he one that put me here. My hands clenched on the wheel and I gunned it for the home stretch as the sounds of wheels rolled behind us and gunfire pebbled the rear end. I felt a tooth crack and give a little under the pressure causing a wince.

I always thought I could be the hero, when I read those stories online. I always thought that someone could have saved them if they just did something. That there could've been a lack of blood shed, that someone didn't do what he or she could've.

Now I know why there wasn't, being the hero is overrated and is the worst decision I could've possibly made.

At least they're not dead though. I shot down this cheerful little notion. I couldn't find the old man if I died saving them. But I didn't regret saving them.

At least, not yet, for all I knew, this rowdy lot could stab me or skewer me.

My shoulder erupted with fire on my nerves; I watched as a hole burst through it in front of me. The windshield bursting with a hole as things started to go into slow motion. Blood blossomed from my shoulder and my mouth opened in shock. The world went quiet except for a dull ringing in my ears and yelling muted around me as I slowly looked down at my shoulder and felt my mouth open in a scream. The ringing got louder before a pain busted through my jaw. New light broke into the black stars that faded my eyes and I snapped back.

"DRIVE, GOD DAMN IT," Blondie's hand was wrapped around my front and leaning over me. What was her name again? I should know it. I did know it. Why were they here with me again? Why was I driving? I watched as a bullet grazed her shoulder and back and a yell followed before she collapsed down, next to my thighs and arm. I stared at her for a moment before looking back up, my vision wavering. It didn't matter then, did it? We were all going to die. I wasn't ready to die. I wasn't even old enough to die, RIGHT?!

My heart hammered in my chest and my breathing picked up before I slammed my foot to the gas again. We cleared the buildings and broke into the outskirts. Behind us, people followed like bloodhounds with a scent. Not good. I checked the gas and fuel levels, then the heater. Alarm followed. We could possibly blow the engine at this rate!

"…We're gonna die." I finally found myself voicing with a shocked hiss. Yet this situation seemed familiar all together. It seemed like I had faced this before. But how? There was no way to have, right? Right! So I couldn't die. I survived last time- whenever that was, right? The scar on my shoulder pulsed with an ache and I shook my head clear, "Fuck that! Not Today!" I snarled to myself. "Fuck that- fuuuuuuck THAT." There was no way in hell I went this far to die!

Why did I even rescue these people in the first place when it obviously was going to get me killed- It didn't matter. We weren't going to die. Or at least, I wasn't. No. Not today. I refused too. My eyesight wavered and I cursed my body for being weak. My wounds on my hands pulsed and I watched as the Ouroboros tattoo bled through, the red circle like a target to focus on before I looked back up and tensed my good arm to drive while my right hand found the gear stick and I snarled out in pain and continued on, the gunfire beginning to fall short after a few moments. The woods coming into sight and the desert beyond that. My head began to feel light and my sight dimmed a bit more while each movement sent a jolt through my shoulder that sparked fire and brought tears to my eyes.

The wet trails down my face were ignored for the time being as I just focused ahead of me. The logical began to fade from my mind, and perhaps I hallucinated it, but the military began to fall back. The gunfire fell shorter and shorter, the sound of the engines grew more distant, and soon all I heard was my panting breath, the sound of my heartbeat, and felt the vibrations move through my body collectively.

"…Hey." A low baritone murmured from the back, Roa? Maybe? I got Roa and Dolcetto in time, right? "They've stopped following us." The words didn't register as trees blazed by us, "You can let up, you're going to blow the engine otherwise."

This was an old thing- right? Yeah, this vehicle was old, the entire series took place at the end of the 1890's and beginning 1900's, right? Right. Guess that'd make sense if the engine blew. My body was feeling heavy as it was. I should stop now… If I stopped, maybe the pain in my right arm would go away? Lord knows, it was a real killer. My foot began to let off the gas and my legs felt heavy with the rest of my body. My eyes felt weighed down and I tried to loosen it my jaw that felt like it was locked shut forever.

A low hiss erupted from the back of my mind, the flash of the eye from my dream blazing my sixth sense, "Don't forget who's after you!" The Führer flashed next and I felt my foot hammer the gas again and a mutual yelp from the back followed.

"Too fast." I wheezed out as I thought aloud, "He's too fast, he'll cover it too quick." What would he need to do to get us right now? Call on the Flame Alchemist to set us aflame? Maybe throw Kimbley into the mix and light us up to blow us nice and sky-high? The sewer combat between Martel, Greed, and Bradley confirmed what I doubted, and said this was not the first anime.

This was a terrifying prospect. Perhaps this was a hybrid of sorts? I don't know. My mind blazed to fast to keep up and I heard talk from behind me and beside me that didn't register. Then silence and the thrumming of the vehicle. I wondered if they were even still there as my tunnel vision fell back into place. The areas edging my vision getting darker. Then pain jolted from underneath my arms as hands grabbed on me and I snarled. Clenching my hands to their spot. I was lifted from my seat and the blonde grabbed at my wrists, pressing thumbs to my hands causing a yell to rip from me and fresh tears dot my eyes.

I was pulled from my seat and behind it as Martel took over. My hands fingers in clawed arches while pain raced up and while I was set down, hands shoved a cloth to my shoulder that I didn't understand. Panicked, I was held down as I bucked and thrashed. The last sounds I heard over the roar of engine as it began quieting, and I felt the vehicle slowing was, "HOLD HER STILL."

With a low growl from the samurai, "This is going to hurt…."


	5. Just Walk Away

**A/N: **I was craving interaction, and thus I had to have it. Thank you to Lament for a Broken Heart for reviewing, and to all who read and viewed the last chapter.

** If you got a notice that this story was updated with a fifth chapter, only to find it missing, I do apologize. I was rereading it and found some heavy mistakes that couldn't be left unchanged. So I've gone through and edited the ever-loving hell out of it. I love you guys (;_;) please don't be mad at the false advertising. *Hugs readers*

**Disclaimer: **Fullmetal Alchemist, FMA: Brotherhood, movies, and characters are all owned by Hiromu Arakawa. Cassi "Ridi" is mine.

* * *

**Just Walk Away?**

Blood. It covered the entire drivers seat of the military truck I had stolen. No way was it a liter, or even half, but it was enough to make me stare quietly in pensive thought after I had woken up on the ground some time later. At least I didn't freak out like I did when I woke up with my hands carved.

The group as far as I could tell was asleep. I was attempting to keep quiet in the dark, the moonlight sneaking down beneath the trees being the only light provided, other than a small fire in the center. There had been a small clearing they had settled in, using the tarp in the back to hide the vehicle. I suppose it had been the most logical, though being out in the open made me feel on edge.

I had woken up on a bloody blanket, and one thrown on top of me in not much better of shape, my right shoulder bandaged. I could feel the wads pressing to the wound to keep pressure. Or maybe they gave me stitches and it was there to assure if it opened, I didn't bleed out. The three that had been shot, Roa, Dolcetto, and Martel in much of the same state of wrapped and bandaged wounds as they lay around the small fire. Greed, asleep by the looks of it, leaned against a tree trunk while sitting on the ground.

Unlike me though, I would bet my soul they'd be able to walk and carry on with more ease than I. The wounds bad, but by the metal dish I found with tweezers and bloody bullets beside them, I could probably guess they'd move with a higher pain tolerance and not nearly as impeded as my wound to the shoulder. My right arm in a sling for the time being, felt like it weighed two tons and all I wanted to do was pass back out on my bloody blanket.

But instead, I was staring at this seat that I had been driving in until I was forcibly removed. I couldn't recall who did it or why, but I did know one thing. I had to have been completely insane, and I currently felt like I was going to vomit every time I inhaled.

I _had_ to have been insane though. I checked my hands to see if the bandages were still there and indeed they were. No doubt crusted to the wounds with blood. They weren't as important as the one on my shoulder, but given the nature of them and the state of my left hand… I was thankful they were neglected. That didn't mean though I wasn't going to check to see if there was a med kit in the back of the truck. I could take care of the wounds and douse them with alcohol to clean them before giving them a new wrapping. I'd be lucky if there'd be fresh bandages to wrap them in though, given the state of the three snoozing chimera. Either way, it was better to do it while everyone was snoozing.

I didn't originally want to go after the group. At one point, I had made my mind up that I wasn't going too, that was when I sat across from the Curtis couple and ate a quiet meal I tried to avoid too much eye contact and answered questions as truthfully as possible. My nerves practically fried at that point. The Elrics hadn't arrived yet. They didn't show until a day later. The conversation earlier before hand, about the wounds had been as I expected though, intense, awkward, borderline terrifying.

_ "So how did you get these?" She had looked at me with a concerned frown. Her hands felt cold and clammy after a few moments. I followed her gaze down to the wounds on the top of my hands, still fresh. The eye stared upward unblinkingly; the Ouroboros on my left hand seemed redder than before. It reminded me of fresh blood and made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end as her thumb rested just outside the pink raw flesh..._

_ I felt distant as I looked up at her, my gaze settled at her eyes and told her I got attacked before I woke up in the alley with these about a week ago. It wasn't a whole lie; she bought it well enough, or maybe she just accepted it. I'm sure she knew they were fresher than that. When she asked me if my family was around, I had to say no and that I didn't have any to contact as it was. That one was harder to state._

_ Another half lie, but it seemed good enough as she released my hands and grabbed the alcohol to the side._

_ "You'll have to make sure these stay clean." She had instructed me. I watched as the clear liquid poured down in a small stream over a basin sitting on my lap, "otherwise you'll risk infection. Do you have any other wounds as well?"_

_I lied about the one on my head from the crowbar. I didn't feel it important to pay attention to where that bastard hit. Otherwise I would have to explain more..._

She didn't ask me where I came from, thankfully. Perhaps that would be something I should figure that out while I had time to think clearly and was not distracted by the sleeping group behind me. Xing or some place like that? I don't think I looked native enough to state Amestris or anywhere else that I knew of for sure as my home country. Drachma was out, being an enemy country. It was hard to believe I could be from any of these places naturally. Though, maybe Amestris was diverse enough I could lie and claim it, and it wouldn't be such a big deal. I gave a soft groan and pushed my hair back over my scalp as I shook my head. "What a pain in the ass…" I whispered.

Here I was saving a group of chimera and a homunculus for that matter, and I didn't even have a back-story to set up. I would be doomed the moment they would turn and ask me why the hell I did what I did, or any of my background. This was obviously a 'brilliant' plan I had.

Speaking of which, when did the plan change? I think it was around when I had finally seen the Elrics? No, that wasn't it. After, perhaps? I let my hand drop and walked towards the back of the truck, using it newly found freedom to dig around as quietly as I could.

_Found ya_. The kit with the big red cross on the front was what gave it away. Was it the universal symbol for health or something? I opened it up and fumbled for a few moments. Soon I settled with what I needed, an arm full of bottles. I climbed up and sat on the back of the truck, my free hand used to balance the kit itself it carefully on my lap. I searched through labels in the poor light where soon I came across the alcohol. As I set the bottle and the kit to the side, I started the next part of the process. I began to unwrap my hands.

_"Do you have anywhere to stay?" This was asked over food. Maybe this was a hallucination but as I said not particularly, she curtly said I could stay in the guest room for the night since it was already so late._

_ As I didn't have any money. I couldn't refuse. I didn't even know what the currency was. That night I didn't sleep a wink. My head swam over what to do next. I could stay safe, perhaps I could even tell the woman the truth. Tell her about the old man, maybe she could even help me. It wouldn't be easy, but it would be possible…_

_ I wouldn't be free to move around. Thus, it wasn't likely the best option._

_ The Elrics had arrived the next day, though. I had watched quietly from the window as I pretended to still be asleep. Her husband, Sig, greeted them that morning. I tried my hardest to stay a simple spectator and fly on the wall until I was introduced when I came downstairs. I had told the woman my name was Mya, the night before in an internal panic and verbal stumble. It had been the first thing that came to my head, honestly. Chances were, she didn't believe a word I said._

_ Well, I never have been one to lie. _I had reached the section where the fibers were drenched and stiffened with blood. The scab was formed into it, and I let out a very low breath. I tried to pull the beginning of the bandage away from it. The sting made my eyes water as my nerve endings screamed. I gave it a rest a few moments later, and looked at the alcohol.

Wet things came off easier, and with how alcohol reacted to wounds…

Well… Perhaps it would be better to try it that way. I pulled my shirt up to my mouth before I began to pull again. It gave me something to bite down on for the pain, at least. The sting of alcohol wasn't that bad, as I let it settle into the cloth and then down onto the wound. Slowly it moved in progression from stinging sensation to a fiery blaze that made me shut my eyes and grit my teeth hard. My jaw popped as I released, the cloth tasting like sweat and grim. I grabbed the cloth and wrapped it around my free hand, then counted to two. I inhaled, my head fell back, and I yanked the remainder of the bandages off.

_This is such a cluster fuck I've gottena myself into._

With a yank, the scab ripped and my eyes fluttered as I rested against the truck. I soon followed with a new bout of alcohol on the hand, and eyed my operational one in thought as the pain set it.

With my shoulder wrapped and arm in a sling, moving it might as well be out of the question. Meanwhile, the care of my current hand, my left one would be clumsy as my least dominant hand. Without two hands, I couldn't drive; much less shift the gears of the vehicle in the process. Not that my saved people would want me driving, in fact I didn't even know if I should stay with them.

Speaking of which. I looked up towards them and stilled as one of them was gone. The hair on the back of my neck immediately standing up, and a shiver went down my spine.

_Where the hell did Greed go?_

My body began to relax. Perhaps it was fatigue. But, this wasn't how I was supposed to react, I think. Or was it? Perhaps I felt far too resigned, in a way, maybe? I don't know. I looked down towards the white bubbling and soft fizzing on top my right hand, a numbness flowing and a cold setting in it as the eye watched me.

I gave a flinch as the giant eye from my dream before I woke up here flashed through my mind. I began to quietly wrap it after I shook it dry, the new blood not as bad as before. A leg propped up, I checked the kit, and found very little clean new bandages left. Then again, this wound wasn't as severe as the others who lay sleeping. They were bandaged heavily in some areas. I found a pair of scissors inside and began to cut away the dirtiest parts of my used bandages. I would wrap with the majority of the two wounds with the clean. But for the sake of containment, I couldn't ditch the ones I had on from Izumi yet.

Not to mention I didn't know when I would be in a town long enough to get more. I suppose I could leave now in the cover of night. Take the med kit with me and hope for the best. However where would I even go? What would I do? My face had been seen helping this rowdy lot and-

…My face had been seen.

A sudden knot formed in my throat and I found it hard to swallow as I became very aware of the sound of my own heart beat in my ears.

My face had been _seen. _

Not just seen. I hit the ruler of the country with what was basically an early 1900's version of the classic _hummer._ Then we faced the people who shot at the truck on the way out.

_ Perhaps I should just shoot myself in the head, end it, and forget about the old man. Get rid of the chance for them to get rid of me via firing squad. _

How is it even possible for me to fuck up this badly? I mean really now, I've had some muck ups, but this took the cake…

_They didn't like me the moment they saw me. Perhaps I was too cheerful or spoke too quietly. Maybe it was the way I stared too long at Alphonse. But I shortly took my leave after that, thanking Izumi for the meal and the bed to stay in, even if I didn't sleep. I watched as she talked to them in the back right before, and their young faces had been marred with suspicious glares. I don't know what she told them. I don't know if she didn't say anything. But I needed to leave. So I did. I left and I lingered on the outside of their doings. Trailing at a distance with my hair up and hands in my pockets. _

_ Thankfully the wound to my head had been in my hairline, otherwise I might get the stares from bandages. But it wasn't the most difficult thing to follow at a long distance, glasses taken from my pocket and worn, and continued on. Then I had watched them go their separate ways. I followed Alphonse, mostly._

_ When the note appeared to him. Then. That was when things were decided and changed. When the younger brother received the note. I didn't follow him after it immediately happened. I waited. Waited because I knew whom he'd be going to see. It was the same in both the anime and the manga. It was the same no matter what. So I just waited, waited until the man with a headband and a tank top, Mason appeared. Khaki pants donning his legs, he held a matchbox in his hands, with the familiar brand, "The Devil's Nest" on it._

_ "Have you seen a tall suit of armor come this way?" He questioned, the worry was clear on his face. It had been at least 10 minutes since Alphonse had left with Dolcetto._

_ I told him I did. I said he left with a man who had a sword, and pointed where they had gone off. He nodded and continued inside the meat shop. Meanwhile, I began down the alleyway after them._

_ That was when it was settled. I had to act. Not just for the sake of the boy, but for the people that would get killed in this entire process. I could only go in hoping to save whatever lives were possible._

_ To tell you the truth, there was no plan. I just knew what was going to happen. As any avid fan would, and that in itself make me feel nauseous, and my throat tighten and loosen as though it was getting ready to vomit._

_ The worry was, what if this was a hybrid plot line, and I could do nothing at all. What if I saved them and they still got killed? What if we all got killed? I was shaking by the time I found the bar. So I stood outside it for a good five minutes, staring up at the sign until I had managed to calm down._

_ What if I saved them and I still got killed in the process? Could I change anything at all or would it be a futile effort? Deaths flashed in front of me, and I wondered if any of this was real, or was it a dream? Was there a point to even trying?_

_Could I deal with doing nothing and letting things take their natural course?_

_ 'It's not our place to interfere.' This thought led to me stare at my feet as I walked away, but a tug in the back of my mind made me look back. I settled quietly as I finally shook my head and cursed. A rock flew down the street as it became the receiver of my frustrations._

_ "It's not our place to be here either." I finally reasoned to myself, ignoring as a man looked over while I marched down the street, my internal argument vocalized. "I'm not supposed to be here as it is. I should at least do something otherwise I'm just as guilty!"_

_ I hated being blamed for others misdeeds… and with the amount of people that would die, this would definitely cause internal trauma._

_ 'And the old man?' This caused my feet to hesitate while I looked up at the rooftops and began incline, by the time I reached the top of the hill the street crested on, and leaned against the door. I found myself staring out what ever military base was located here. Maybe the southern command._

_ I drew in the old town as I saw the military trucks starting to roll out of the front gates of the compound. Mere green dots currently. I would have to get a hold of one of those, and work quickly where I could get inside if I wanted this to work at all._

_ "He'll have to wait." I sounded rather silly and over dramatic, even to me. "There are too many lives on the line." Perhaps I was foolish enough to even feel cool at the time._

_ That didn't stop my hands from shaking though as my mock confidence tried to put them in my pockets and I shut my eyes swallowing hard to put the fear into the back of my mind._

_ I was never good at being brave, and I had a feeling I never would be either._

_Yet there I was, willing and attempting to play God on an ordinary level! _I criticized as I finally finished wrapping my hand. The right now pulsed lightly with the blood that ran underneath the skin as the pain turned to a dull ache. A scowl had settled on my face. That still left my left hand, the one with the Ouroboros on it, to be cleaned and taken care of.

_…I should call myself Ridi._ I stared at my left hand as I pondered what to do next. I wasn't going to ask for help. _For absolutely F-ing Ridiculous. Yeah. I like that. I'm Ridi now._

Unfortunately, the decision of my new name, as I didn't feel safe enough to share my actual one, didn't bring any comfort to me. I looked back up to see where the vest wearing homunculus went, and a sigh flowed. It didn't matter, and honestly? Maybe these guys would survive better now that I wasn't there to play puppet master and pull a string that wasn't supposed to go tight.

It might help me to move on my own as well, a small group was a lot harder to find than a large one, and with a party of one… I stared at the trio, whose chests were rising and falling steadily, before I looked back down at my hand as I fidgeted with the bandages. Well, a party of one would make me harder to track down right? I could take the alcohol and the last of the fresh bandages, as meager as they were, split and 'make tracks.' These guys could easily make it without me here. Though I idly wondered if I could make it out, without them?

Now that there was some distance, it was nighttime, and truthfully I didn't even know how long I had been asleep; probably not. Though perhaps with the distance, more distance than I expected hopefully, that wouldn't matter and I'd come across a town or something. I didn't know how far we had come and with no map for reference, where. I looked about; they weren't exactly like the trees in Dublith… but no matter.

I bit my thumbnail on my good hand with a scowl. If I left and traveled alone, that was one thing. If there was a road, it wouldn't due to walk it, at least not alone. Maybe if I stayed off them and to the side in the trees though… that could work and I'd be much safer. It would be a gamble if I went, though. A wave of fatigue hit me and I fell backwards to lie on the truck bed. My eyes wandered up to stare at the moonlight still between the leaves, I felt my vision blur. There wasn't much I could do I suppose. I didn't know the circumstances from here on in, as I had changed them. I interfered but I did so in a way that couldn't be ignored either. My face was known. Who I was didn't matter, if you could draw it and put it on a wanted poster after all. I even had a motive when I yelled out to them in the truck after I stole it.

…_Finding the truck wasn't hard after I waited long enough. When the military troops went in, I could only bite my lip as the beginnings of gunfire started. I stuck with a shadow until I reached the end and went as far as getting inside one. After I scouted it out and saw it was, at least what I thought at the time, left unattended. I went through the drivers' side._

_ At that point, my heart had been about to pound out of my chest, and my hands were drenched with sweat. Izumi's clothes I was wearing, felt like they could suffocate me. It all felt so very intense that when the words, "What are you doing, girl?" Appeared beside me in the passenger seat, I nearly jumped out of my skin and bolted then and there._

_ Then the adrenaline hit after I opened my mouth to speak. He came at me and popped me square in the cheekbone. My body fell against the door and he lunged up from his spot, soon he was over me and his hands found my shoulders. I reached above me in a panic and grabbed the door handle, giving it a pull and shoving the door open. At this point, he landed a solid punch to my side and I found down in open air._

_ That was when I grabbed his front, and he busted my lip. I was satisfied to see my tooth opened his knuckle. I supposed at the time I wasn't focused on winning a fistfight, but getting the truck all together. It was part of stage one of the plan after all. Mobility._

_ The open air won out though, and when I kicked, I drug him with me down to the ground in a summersault. He went under me, and his head hit the step into the truck on the way down._

_ He was out cold by the time he hit the ground, and I was bleeding in the mouth and had already started to feel like crap. Even though, I hadn't really done anything major yet. It was only after I climbed back in the truck, but not before I drug him into the alley it was parked in and leaned against a dumpster. I found the dynamite in the back of the vehicle, and the lighter I swiped off the man._

_ A walk around the premises in the time I had before the military arrived at least gave me a vague idea of where to go… With all the gunfire as well, I doubt there'd be an immediate reaction to a single explosion._

_ The Kimbley from earlier ran through my mind, of the one watching the military and the state alchemists. I thought that confirmed what I was dealing with here, which meant at least it would catch 'someone's' attention. But I would have to move quickly all the same… as any attention was no good._

Was I important enough to send the military after? I didn't think so. That didn't mean jack at the moment though. I had stolen off _people _that were. Perhaps that sounded arrogant, but I figured it was at least to safe to suppose that they were now set on looking, at the very list. That meant I had to get out of Amestris. But if I got out of Amestris, I had likely wouldn't be able to find the old man.

I palmed my forehead and groaned softly. I didn't even have anything to say he was here to begin with. But something in me just screamed he was. Something said that man was around. Lurking in the shadows like I was at the moment, just waiting for me to find him in the dark…

_And take a knife to his innards._ I rubbed my eyes. I was getting too tired, if I was having thoughts like that.

In fact, that was enough thinking for now. I needed to move or at least make a decision on what I was going to do. It would be so much easier to leave in the dead of night. As I was lost, and I didn't know where I was at the same time, sight wasn't as much of a big deal to me. As I had done what I had set out to do IE, them not dying. Did I really need to milk it and stick around?

I changed the events in the timeline. I couldn't be of any use to them anyways now. Thus the chances were, they would ditch me later. With that settled, I finally looked down at my left hand. The one that I quietly dubbed, was still 'good.'

"…Meanwhile, I still have to figure out how to get you taken care of…" The blood-matted cloth was going to be a pain to remove from that one too. I sighed, sat up, and hopped off the truck. After I gathered up a small spare bottle, I emptied part of the alcohol into it and corked it, putting it back. The spare bandages pocketed, not that they'd be any safer in my pants. Then I grasped up one of the canteens. I had stolen six in all. I opened the one in my hand, and the stench of alcohol hit my nose immediately.

_Water would have been better… _I grumbled as I eyed it. I gave in a moment later and took a sip. The bitter liquid washed into my mouth, the sour scent pouring into my nostrils of fermented beverage, I swallowed it down and warmth slipped down my throat and settled into the bottom of my belly.

Whiskey was a favorite; despite the taste, it always warmed me up and would leave me tingly for a few seconds, before my mood usually increased. A small frown hit my lips moments later. This was the very stuff that got me in trouble… but I almost had to resist the urge to down the substance all together. As I lashed the canteen down to my belt around my waist, I turned to head off-

And ran right into a hard chest.

"…." I stepped back on recoil, and then attempted to figure out what this chest was doing in front of me. Piecing things together, as I pondered, _tall… dark skinned there…. Something tickled my face… _I let my eyes wander down, _dips underneath the pant line… tight pants…. And… Those shoes. I think my mother has something like that…_

I had to fight back a small 'snrk' at the thought of my mother wearing those shoes. That was a lie. But, they were something I would wear… In fact… I chanced a look at my own. Similar, but with several inaccuracies. Like not being made of Italian leather. Though I suppose I didn't even have the money for something like that… Something vain in me, that also recognized I was usually dirt poor regardless, gave a twitch. That was irritating.

"…Are you going to stand there and look all day, sweet heart?" The smooth voice brought a chill to my spine, one that I fumbled with the flask to quell. I didn't waste any time putting the flask to my lips and taking a long, drawn swig, my eyes trailed up to chance a glance at the leafy ceiling above us. The gulp of dark liquid wetting my mouth and the heat fighting off the cold. A sigh exited me as I finally lowered it.

I finally gave a look at that face. I always liked Greed for the looks. He was an animated guy, in the literal and nonverbal sense. That in itself made a likable factor as a character out of him, for me. A little bit of smooth and dark, a little bit of humor, an added pinch of sadism and business savvy cruelty…

There was no point in a romanticized view in him though, as those amethyst eyes stared down at that pointed nose at me with his lips twisted into a smirk. A quirked eyebrow asked me, if I dared to keep looking.

I pushed the flask in his chest as a retort, the liquid swishing inside, and splashed within it's confines. His hands coming up to grip it as I pulled my hand away, "…Whiskey tastes better when you share it." I explained quietly, looking back down as my hand fell back to my side. If I was going to make a get away, my chance was about to come up.

I waited for him to lift it to his lips before I turned to leave. I snagged up a water canteen in the process before a hand latched onto my good shoulder and whipped me around, however. Caught off guard, my feet caught and I began falling.

I used my good hand to catch me and let my knees take the brunt of the force as they caved before I looked up with furrowed brows and an open mouth. My voice caught in my throat. His voice was once again cool, and sounded like it had the beginnings of an edge in it.

"Where are you going?"

"Away." It was simple, it was flat, and it was firm.

"… And what? You don't think you can just leave, do you?" The edge still wasn't quite there yet. But his face held no humor to it.

But yes, yes I did. I didn't see a reason why not as a matter of fact. I wasn't military trained, combat savvy, or even remotely useful at the moment. Not as anything except company, sass, and maybe a thing of temporary entertainment. I would much rather do the ditching, than be the ditched here, after all.

"…Yes. I don't see a reason to stay." I finally grunted, as I forced myself to my feet and brushed off my legs.

"Something that puts me in debt, doesn't get to walk away."

I opened my mouth to protest and then paused, snapped it shut and then quirked a brow… Puzzled I began to ask a different question, and then decided against it, and caused my mouth to shut again. What could I even say to that?

Finally, I just incredulously stated, "Debt." My shoulders giving a slump and my head bowed as I turned that over in my mind, and then turned away from him as I rubbed the back of my neck. I didn't know how long I had been asleep, but it felt like instead of hours, me busting in with that giant truck felt like years ago. I gestured for the whiskey, "…Let me have another gulp of that. I need to think about this."

There was a pause, and a silence held. I felt a realization fall over me soon though as he made no move to give it back in which I grimaced and my hand fall limply back to my side.

_…That greedy bas- does he just thin- …of course he does. Who the hell am I kidding? _A groan flowed out of me and I drug my hand down my face. With a grumble, I moved to the other flasks and began to open them. The scent of alcohol hit again on the fourth and final one. Taking a long whiff, I chanced a sip.

_Beautiful, vodka._

In reality, I'm not a big drinker. Or at least that's what I would tell myself in small reconciliation for these few drinks I have had. I finally turned to him as I finished my swig. "Right… Debt." The canteen felt warm in my hand, so I looked away from him and down at it. I swirled the substance around inside. "…I do not have anything to say to that."

"Then it's settled. You're not going _anywhere." _The finality of his voice made me look up with a scowl of my own.

"…Well I don't know about tha-" I began, when a hand planted on my wounded shoulder and a thumb pressed into the wound on my shoulder, I nearly dropped the canteen in pain, "aaaa! Yeah- haa- Okay! No! I'm not going anywhere!"

The pain left almost immediately as he removed his hand and I slumped back against the truck. I hissed and rubbed at the wound with a glower before I chanced another look at him. Greed's scowl was still firmly in place. He quirked another questioning brow"…It wouldn't do you any good as it is… it's the middle of the night. Are you some kind of mentally deficient woman or something? Or can you see in the dark?"

"…Well." I began, "Anything's possible, but I just like to call myself Ridi."

Another heavy silence filled the air between us as he gave me a flat stare.

He capped the flask and tossed it at me. I dropped the one in my hand to catch it; the vodka splattered up all over my pants and shoes. I let out a snarled curse.

'_Good thing I ditched the pleather_… 'I shot a glare back up at him. He finally smirked.

"Well, _Ridi_. You have too many questions that you've left hanging about you. Until that debt of mine is paid. I feel it will be in your best interest to stick around, and maybe even answer a few of mine." He crossed his arms. I fought back the want to punch him in the face with my good hand. He gestured with his finger in a circle towards the ground and me. I had the greatest feeling that while he stated it was in my better interest, he was actually only considering his. "And considering you don't seem to be in any _condition_, to go off on your own… It can't hurt you at all to stay around with me and mine." That ending was said casually, but I could probably bet his weight in gold that he meant every word on those three being 'his.'

One look at his face, told me that my wish to simply go away and leave this motley group behind, was going to be left unanswered. I looked back down at the whiskey, undid the cap, and took a long gulp.

This man was going to make me develop a tolerance. I could already tell.


	6. Truth

**A/N: **Hello hello! Here you are, a sixth installment just for you! Thank you to **Herio9071** and **DW** for dropping buy and giving some feed back in reviews! I greatly appreciated it! Also thank you to **Mr. Estam**, while I know fanfictions are not his favorite, he has helped me greatly in figuring out reactions, responses, and even if some good twists should be in play or not.

**Greed:** You've finally found someone to give you psychological help? What?

**A/N: **Shut up you!

**Disclaimer: **Fullmetal Alchemist, FMA: Brotherhood, movies, and characters are all owned by Hiromu Arakawa. Cassi "Ridi" is mine.

* * *

**Truth**

* * *

A blade rested against a pale column of a throat as it lightly touched it. The hunched form of the dog chimera scowled up towards the dark blue eyes that stared back quietly, pink lips in a downward frown. Her back rested against the tree, the other three were tensed behind him. Mostly ready to move in case she bolted, or attempted anything threatening.

Dolcetto smelled fear, blood, and fatigue coming off in waves. The stressed woman gave a small gulp as her wrapped hands remained up in the air in defense, or surrender. He had realized it once her smell hit his nose freshly. Not mixed with the scent of panic, fear, and adrenaline, or dressed from head to foot similarly like his boss. But doused with stress and worry in a white shirt and breeches with blood, the scent of stale vodka on his nose.

He had been on her before she had time to react after that, though he did pull the blade to prevent decapitation or a cut, having laid it on her throat as an idle threat.

They had all heard Greed last night, as he told the one called Ridi she was not permitted to leave. Thus, he doubted he was permitted to kill her as well. Greed was not the only one who shared a debt with this woman. He recalled when they broke through the gunfire and smoke after the raid of the Devil's Nest had begun, and Roa had faced that Armstrong fellow, as her form dashed around the corner reeking of fear and panic, and yelled out to them.

_"Move It if You Want Your Boss To Live," _was all they were told. As she was not the focus, he had loaded into the vehicle with his focus on finding Greed and making sure his boss would survive. He could believe that he was under threat, as the military had found them and busted through their door. As they all owed Greed, dying for him was something he was more than ready to do.

But then this woman came in, full of fear and panic, focused on one thing and one thing only. Survival. He couldn't even tell whose however, by the end of it all. This didn't sit well. None of it sat well with him. The same woman that left their exchange room smelling of blood and fear, was the same woman that ran in just as the 'bomb' so t say went off.

Something or someone tipped her off. That had to be it. She had to have been working for someone.

She had known Greed was going to die if there wasn't interference, and for some reason she had wanted him alive. Wanted them all alive in fact, as her interference in picking himself and Roa up hadn't been necessary in Greed's survival. Was she with the military? She had a vehicle with her, thus there was thought to escape. There had been premeditation in her so called 'rescue.' Though afterwards it was clear there was nothing but panic. That had been proved when he knocked her out himself and Martel and Roa had to pry her from the wheel.

Thus that left him with the question of motive, as that fear was not faked.

She looked like she might collapse in terror. He was surprised she was able to keep the tremble that threatened to take over in check. Her heart pounded so fast he could almost mistake it for the beat of a drum.

Greed was the one to finally speak out, "Do you want to tell me what's going on, Dolcetto?"

Dolcetto looked behind him at his boss whose hands were slowly coming into his pockets, his face, absent of sunglasses, showed his shrewd gaze between the two as he eyed them. Suspicion held in his scowl. The wounded dog chimera looked back forward, to see the woman's face hadn't changed much but there was a glint of calculation and a new scent of fear.

"I've seen her before. She had broken into one of the drop off checkpoints of ours. Used the shower and stayed on the couch. Gotten in through the window by breaking the rusty bolts. She fled when I looked into it." He inhaled and gave a low growl, "But then I saw her again, right after we got shot by the military at the bar, and Roa and I got through the smoke."

He felt as she stiffened under his blade, and listened to the sharp inhale from his boss. He knew Greed had connected the dots now.

Meanwhile, Ridi was pretty sure she was in a rock and hard place, with a gun pointed at her head. That was faster than she expected the dots to be connected. Then again though, it was a risk she had taken into consideration just this morning after she had woken up from her blanket on the ground. She still felt exhausted and wiped out, though the adrenaline in her system out of fear right now was working well to keep her nice and wide awake.

A pink tongue darted out to wet her lips. Meanwhile her mind raced with the next words that came out of her mouth. They could either be her death sentence, the start of a very long, painful interrogation process, or she could tell the truth, which was far worse than them all. How does one even go forth and tell them what would be the truth?

The truth was unbelievable, implausible, and impossible even. So what on earth could come out of her mouth, to assure that everyone walked away happy? Or was that itself not likely?

Then again though… her eyes traveled to her wounded shoulder, and she actually gave a very grumpy frown. She got _shot_ as she tried to rescue this rowdy lot. While she could understand their suspicions, the want to hiss, 'you ungrateful little shits' was high on the mental priorities list. She looked away from her shoulder though to the samurai, who remained unmoved. Dolchetto's ready to slit her throat at any moment. Her heart in her mouth, as she looked past him at the three that stood silently.

Finally, she risked eye contact with Greed, who stood at full height and scrutinized her with a glare. The hair on the back of her neck stood at attention. Something in the back of her mind leered its head. Ridi fought against her instincts to provide them with a sneer and an irritated snarl.

_Stay calm. _She muttered to herself, and that feeling felt like it wiggled into a hunched form, peeked out behind a memory or two. _And just…. Wait._

She swallowed her heart back down, shut her eyes with a sigh, and waited to be addressed as she opened them.

Greed's cool voice ripped her from her attempt to achieve a Zen like peace of mind. "Well, kid? Sounds like you got a tale you should be sharing with the rest of us."

Oooh boy. That wasn't what she wanted to do at all. But her mouth seemed to open on it's own, and then, snap shut. What could Ridi even say to that? The truth was she didn't want them to die. But she had a feeling that would make the homunculus throw his head back and laugh. Accusing her of some sort of treachery. Though it would back up her reasoning for leaving the night before.

"Well?" He turned his head towards her as though listening, and then gave a sneer, "I'll even help you…. It starts something like this." He wandered closer, his voice getting lower to a sinister timbre, "…Once upon a time..." Greed gestured at her, "and now you…" His lifted finger hovered about two feet from her. "…Finish it." The pregnant silence made him give a small smirk. A chill went down her spine as those amethyst eyes became cold, "I'm waiting…"

Ridi's hands clenched into the tree behind her to prevent the tremble that threatened to violently begin. Greed took another step forward, his head tilted downwards, and the tips of his fingers started to turn black. "What happened, Ridi? 'Once Upon A Time-'"

The sneering beast in her mind was becoming irritated, it hissed in return to his approaching form. Her eyes watched as the black began to creep upwards, her heart began to fight its way back up to her throat.

_I guess the_ _Truth it is_.

"I didn't want you all to die."

"…" Greed paused, mouth still open as she finally returned his look with a clear emotion. Before the fear had clouded her expression, but the scowl that she gave him, made her look something like a drowned kitten that had just had her favorite cat nip toy taken away from them. He wasn't threatened by it by any means, but it was rather nice to see her clear displeasure.

"And so I did what I had too, to make sure that didn't happen." Her eyes narrowed, "I got shot in the process, and now I've got a blade ready to slit my throat, and you're doing- well, who the fuck knows _what_ you're doing. But it's not what I wanted." A scowl of disapproval followed as she shook her head. Greed leaned forward as he waved Dolcetto's blade away.

Reluctantly the dog chimera agreed; the homunculus covered the distance between them, looming over the smaller woman. His hands rested in his pockets as he rested on the balls of his heels. "…And what was it that you _wanted_?"

Ridi's eyes turned up and met with his own. Greed listened closely. The senses of a homunculus as opposed to a normal human were a bit more heightened. Though he could hear her heart as it pounded, he could also hear now changes that would occur with a lie. Right now, it was all self-contained fear. He'd give her that at least.

Ridi's mind however was on anything but the man that hovered about half a foot from her. It buzzed with thoughts, growled in protest and seemed to have trouble as she tried to form words. What _did_ she want? She knew she wanted find the man who carved into her. She also knew she wanted to go home. She mostly wanted though…

"…" She fixed Greed with a scowl and kept her mouth shut, he threw his head back with a laugh.

"Oh! Not going to elaborate on the details, kid? Don't stop the generosity now!" He spread his arms wide, "I'm all ears!" He turned his ear to her, cupping it, "Lay it on me." Whether it was money, sex, women, or time, Greed wanted it all. He really was waiting with bated breath for the information to flow out of this girl's lips.

Those guarded blue eyes that tightly shut mouth. He could think of a few ways to get it to talk; money, companionship, pain, seduction? The scent of blood hit his nose and he gave a sidelong glance towards the fingertips on the tree. They bore chewed nails and were wrapped with bandages, but the blood was fresh. It was probably from splinters that had dug into the skin.

He could beat it out of her, but it wasn't Greed's nature to attack women. Even if this one was a bit young. He could have the other three do it, but it was the same deal. They were right to be suspicious, yet he couldn't find a lie yet. He spotted the loosening in her jaw and leaned forward, inches away from her as he rested a hand beside her head. He smirked as she shrunk back and followed the instinctual animal nature inside to make herself look smaller. "Well?"

Greed did not like the silence. Silence was boring and left him to his thoughts, it filled it with questions that needed answers and he so desperately wanted those answers. What was this girl doing in one of his drop off points? What was she doing in the sewer to pick them up? How did she know where they were going to be? Where was she from? Her accent wasn't of Amestris; it wasn't familiar. Who was she? She said a name, he doubted it was real, but at this point, it didn't matter. The name didn't matter, everything else did.

"First impressions seem rather critical here, and you don't seem like someone who doesn't know what they want." He finally piped as he stood up straight. His hands found his back pockets, bored of this game but nowhere near giving up. "But as you don't seem the talkative type either-"

_Funny_. Ridi growled, _most people think I can't shut the hell up. _Though it wasn't that Ridi didn't know what she wanted. It was that voicing it that was the trouble. Ridi didn't have the ferociousness in her to demand such a thing. _Just say it, just say, 'I wanna beat in some guy with a camera's fucking head until he makes it so I can go home. Just say that. That'll settle exactly what you want._

_ "_-But since you _did_ technically get my men out alive, I suppose I _can_ do some fishing."

"…Fish- AUGH!" Hands grabbed onto her and she let out a yelp as pain jolted her right shoulder. Her feet left the ground and she opened her mouth to scream before a shoulder jammed into her stomach. A hand rested calmly on the back of her pants and an arm around her waist locked itself rather tight as she kicked and tried to regain balance. "PUT ME DOWN, NOW."

"Now why would I do a silly thing like that?" Greed questioned as he cleaned out his ear with his pinky, not appreciative of the fact the girl yelled into his ear. "I owe you after all, as do my men. It wouldn't do to just let you run off on your own, and without enlightening us as to the why of this generous opportunity you've given at your behest." His nonchalant voice did very little to reassure her. "Not to mention the military is probably crawling all over trying to find you at well. As, if I recall right, you tried to run over the head power of the country…" He turned his head to Dolcetto, "Or am I wrong? Weren't you in the vehicle with her?"

Dolcetto gave a smirk, having caught on, "No, she definitely hit the old führer and sent him rolling!" Greed gave a, 'ha!' and a chuckle as he gave that time it sink into his far younger compatriot.

Her squirming stopped and he looked over his shoulder, a small smirk on his face as he caught her skin having fallen at least two degrees paler. _Victory. _"You were probably able to take a few years off good ol' Bradley's life." His hand drifted a few inches lower as he gave her a congratulatory pat on the rump. Ridi's yelp and a buck before he grabbed the back of her pants again brought him great satisfaction, and also prevented her from falling. "That settles it then, they'll definitely be after you."

The heart that pounded against his back as she was folded over his chest was all he needed to feel to know she had already thought about that. The way it picked up and pumped blood through her faster, oxygenating her brain, trying to get the wheels to crank faster, think harder about her next steps.

"Sounds to me like you could use some friends. What do you guys think?" He looked over at Martel and Roa, the two chimeras watching with rather suspicious glares and surly frowns. "Do you think Ridi here, could use some friends?"

Roa's response was a grunt as he winced with crossed his arms and he looked away. Martel's shoulder's hunched, the least wounded out of all of them, she reached quietly for the handle of her knife. "Friends, acquaintances, at this point, maybe a small army… but no one that'd stab her in the back."

Greed's shoulders shook as he chuckled, "Looks like my snake doesn't like you, Ridi." He felt as her good hand pressed against his back and she lifted her head up. She stared back for a moment, just a few, and then sighed and dropped back down. "Don't worry, she'll warm up after a while." He jerked his head towards the still tarp covered down vehicle, and began towards it himself. The chimera took his lead. "I think they're all due for a doctor's visit before we play anymore 'get-to-know-you' games first, though."

* * *

...Ridi's head was spinning. Greed wasn't kidding when he told her they were going to be seeing a doctor. The drive itself had been awkward and quiet. Her body crammed between his own and Dolcetto. The scent of blood and antiseptic thick in the air as it wafted from the dog chimera. She had tried to keep her head down and tongue still, and instead managed to fall asleep somewhere in the middle of it all.

She had awoken to being stabbed with a needle as they stitched the gunshot wound. Their doctor, Tabitha something or another, was working on Roa and Dolcetto in a hushed voice. Her assistant, Neggi had been too busy to pay attention as he stitched up Ridi's shoulder wounds. The pain was rather dull in comparison to everything else she had undergone in the past 72 hours, but judging by the IV drip attached to her, that was probably the painkiller talking.

She bothered to become tuned in when she was turned over and Tabitha stood behind her assistant and she was addressed directly. The doctor's glasses lit up by the light, giving a sinister glow to the woman in a doctor's coat. She frowned.

"Where'd you get that?" A thin hand rested against her scarred shoulder, the large scar that was so reminiscent of her years as a 16 year old. Her eyes turned over to it, the darker skin contrasted her paleness from lack of sun. A low breath followed as Ridi thought it over. "What gave you that? That's no animal I'm familiar with." She supposed that was true, even Ridi wasn't quite sure what did it. The jagged bite mark was large and there was an indent along the skin from where it came from. The doctor's that had stitched it up said the scar itself would probably be there until the day she died. They figured it wouldn't fade too much, and if it did, it would still at least hold the indents of skin. Doctor Tabitha prodded her again. "Well?"

Ridi found she was tired of being asked so many questions she didn't have answers too. Her eyes turned up as she scratched at her left hand. The Ouroboros itched in the old bandages. The doctor's eyes narrowed down to it, and back to her shoulder. Once again, instead of a malformed lie, the woman decided it was better to just tell her the truth.

"I'm not sure." She replied. "I just woke up with it in the hospital after being at-" What exactly does one call an anime convention when surrounded by what by all means, were anime characters to her? "An Event. About four years ago." She gulped down spit to wet her dry throat, as she felt nervous, "Doctors weren't quite sure what did it. Said the trauma suppressed the memory, or something like that." Though she did recall one event afterwards. One that was so impossible, she had to have hallucinated the entire thing.

Sometimes she questioned if she was psychologically fit. But given she was under such scrutiny already from the homunculus that leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and shades somehow replaced. She wasn't going to press her luck and bother to figure out why or how. She summed it up to him just having gone off while she was zoned out, or maybe when she was asleep.

She was pretty sure she walked in, but due to the drug running through her system, she wasn't too sure on that either. She hated the idea of being drugged up, but here she was. Sure enough, feeling a little numb and tingly at the same time. Meanwhile, her head felt fuzzy as could be.

Greed wasn't too sure what to think of it all, as he looked at the ghastly scar while Neggi stitched up the front of the girl's shoulder, mutters coming from under their breath as they stated things such as the amount of time it would take to heal, and what to do to care for it. They were received with a nod, and a glazed over look that would on occasion dart over to him.

It brought him a little comfort to know that she was just as on guard with them, as he and his men were with her. He had questioned why she wanted to move the night before. Why was she so eager to leave after going through the trouble of that rather high profile rescue attempt? It had gotten her in trouble; surely she recognized that there would be people after her.

Just as there would be people after him. Though he couldn't exactly call them people… There had to be something that wasn't being told here, and he wanted to know it all. Every last tidbit of detail he wanted greedily uncovered. He gave a grimace. It seemed though this scarred young heroine he had scooped up though, wasn't too eager to share it all; this aggravated and puzzled him. He was Greed incarnate, after all. Who was she to deny him such things? Yes, she had pulled him out of a rather tight spot with her little thought-invested plan. Perhaps, she even saved his life. Thus he couldn't be overly aggressive with her. That just wouldn't do. Not to mention she was female, and he still wasn't fond on beating on a woman of any age.

Tabitha's voice brought him from his thoughts, "Alright you, sit up. Let's get those hands taken care of."

Ridi stilled as her own swimming thoughts of whispers and unfocused babble came to a speeding halt. Then a very quiet, "I'm fine." Followed. She felt tension move through her body as she sat up slowly. "I can take care of it later."

"Get it taken care of now, brat." Greed murmured from his perch on the wall. He stared over his sunglasses with a demanding glare. "While we have the time and the resources to do so."

"No." She refused, "I said I could get it taken care of later, I will-" He crossed the room and grabbed her hand before she could get another word out. "Auck!" He moved behind her as she hissed and struggled, and began to undo the bandages as he leaned over her.

"Stop being stupid." He spat as he unraveled up to the scabbed, brown-crusted cloth, "And bite your shirt or something again, because even with the painkillers, this will hurt."

"No don't I'm not re- AH!" Greed yanked the cloth, and it ripped free. The other three chimeras that had watched stilled at the scream. Tabitha let out a curse as fresh blood blossomed immediately to the surface. She rushed forward with a cloth in hand to press to the wounded left hand

Greed looked at the bandages in his hand before he threw them into the wastebasket beside the counter in disgust. This turned to a satisfied smug smirk as he opened his mouth to say, 'there, that wasn't so hard, was it?' His voice was caught in his throat however, the moment the wound caught the light…

And a bloody Ouroboros stared back at him.

* * *

**A/N: **And we'll end the chapter here! I hope to see you darlings next go around and installment. And please know that while reviews are not necessary, they are greatly appreciated and highly valued for feedback!


	7. Into the Dark

**A/N: **And we're back for the seventh installment of this here story!

**Greed: ** Don't you feel proud, away for three years and then you finally get around to updating a story you started in _2011_. *Jabs thumb over shoulder at people with scowls, pitchforks, and torches. The writer's coworkers and employers are included* This angry mob is for you, by the way.

**A/N: **Oh um… (;_;) life happened and I don't wanna die, though. It's too pretty outside. Also! To my readers! Thank you to Herio907, DW, and Deinokos for reviewing!

- As for a question I received regarding Ridi's scar; I would like to remind readers that this is technically an alternate sequel to a previous story, _Research Never Meant to be Found_, involving a Naruto plot_.__I am trying however to keep that back-story as irrelevant as possible so anyone can read this and not be lost regardless of what happened in the first story__._ So for those who didn't read it, I hope you enjoy this tale regardless! If you feel way too lost, let me know in review or PM, and I'll change up some of my style so it can work out or answer directly (or I'll place something in the story to give you a good grip of why things are the way they are)!

**Disclaimer**: Fullmetal Alchemist, FMA: Brotherhood, movies, and characters are all owned by Hiromu Arakawa. "Ridi" is owned by Riley Killer.

* * *

**Into the Dark**

* * *

_This is it. _Ridi thought, as the quiet lay heavy against her ears. _This is where I have to pay the piper. _Despite not being human, Greed's fingers felt hot as they sat against her hand. Not two seconds after the bandage was gone and blood had bubbled and blossomed up to the surface; he had grasped her hand and held it in one of his own. Much to Doctor Tabitha's vexing. The annoyed doctor held a slightly bloodied cloth in her hand.

The raw flesh burned and ached at the ripped off scab, the wound itself reopened and deepened. The homunculus that stood behind her gave her too much fear of what his face might look like; she didn't have the courage to look over her shoulder to take a glance at it. She didn't trust to look at what could possibly be the accusatory stare. She was not ready for the questions, and the demand for answers… She didn't think she could take it. So her blue eyes averted to the ground as her arm remained limp and her hand snatched up in his own as it stayed up by her head, blood silent as it began to trickle down her wrist and escape to the underside of her arm.

When he finally spoke, the hair on the back of her neck stood up on end, "This is _my_ symbol." Venom dripped from his voice, "Who the hell told you, you could have it?" Ridi's shoulders tensed and he used his free hand to grab onto her left one. His hand planted over the scar and he pulled her back and down to see her face, "Who did this to you? Who tried to copy me onto you?"

The anger in his voice sent a chill through Ridi as she finally looked up to see his scowl and narrowed eyes above her. "I-I don't know who they a-are…" It came out as a squeak, though Ridi grimaced immediately after, as his face contorted into a snarl.

There was only _one_ Greed in this world, and he was it. It was his spot in life, to own this world and everything and everyone in it. Even Ridi. His debt to her made her, his. She was his debt. She was still _his_. The mark on his left hand, the Ouroboros tattoo was his sign of his inhuman origins, his connection to his creator, and in turn, his rebellion against them; and someone decided to _carve_ it into some _girl_? He didn't like it one bit. He could feel the beginning of a seething rage that had seemed to plant itself happily in his chest. He grabbed her by the front and lifted.

"But you've seen them?" He hissed as her face hovered inches below. He'd pulled her onto her feet and her bloody hand still remained captive in his grasp. He watched realization come to her features, "So you _have_." He leaned in and closed those inches that distanced him from her, "You tell me who stole my sign and gave it to you, kid. Don't even think about lying, don't. _Even_." He shook her in emphasis with the final words of his sentence, and then paused, "I can tell when someone does, and don't even think for a moment you'll give _me _the slip."

Ridi started at the gritted teeth he spoke through, sharp, dangerous, so close. Her free hand clenched onto his wrist. But she couldn't tear her eyes away from those teeth. The scar on her shoulder seemed to shoot with a phantom pain as it pulled a flinch from her. She finally managed to pull her eyes away with a gulp and look up into those inhuman cat-slitted amethyst eyes as almost an itch formed in the back of her mind to lash out against him.

"…I didn't know his name." The hand around her collar tightened a little, her voice heightened as she panicked, "I was on the run when I ran into him."

"And what were you doing on the run?" Greed snapped, he lifted a little more on his grip on her blood stained front.

"Trying not to get caught for underage drinking! That's all! I swear!" He couldn't care less that she had been drinking, but the heartbeat that was pounded in his ears didn't falter one bit, she was telling the truth so far. "I- I left him when the cops caught up and I got my second wind, then I fell down some stairs and nailed my head on the way down." Her hand frantically moved up to her hairline, she lifted some of her hair and he spotted the gash where the wound lay. His eyes narrowed onto it, "When I came too he was standing over me and-"

"And?" He growled, his eyes turned to that fearful face, pale and her pupils dilated. Something had this girl more scared than it felt like she should be. Granted, she had every reason she _should _be concerned with her position. However, there was something that didn't quite place right for him. He let her continue though.

"…He hit me in the head with a pipe. I blacked out from there." He felt his snarl slowly fall back to a frown as he watched carefully now. "…I woke up in an alley way covered in blood, the s-symbol there and- and my other hand cut up too… There was so much blood." A light tremble fell into place, "I heard some people coming and ran to find a place to hide." Her eyes turned to Dolcetto. "…Then when you showed up." She addressed to him, "I bolted and ran again. I was using the facilities to get the blood off me."

"And the clothes you were _in?_" Dolcetto's voice was firm, but lacked an accusatory intent. He didn't say anything at first, giving a pensive breath as realization dawned on her face. "Where'd they go?"

"…The woman I ran into, the butcher shop's wife, she got rid of them when she spotted the blood on them. She gave the ones I'm in now after." No lies, Greed felt his shoulders slump slowly down into a relaxed state. He released her front and she fell back and down as her legs gave out. Her body slumped with relief as she sat on the table she'd been laid out on formerly.

Doctor Tabitha's voice finally spoke out, "Yes well, that was all very dramatic and good, but if you _don't_ mind, my _patient _still needs to be seen to!" Greed flinched and looked up from the pale woman to the doctor whose arms were crossed and a flat foot tapped annoyed and impatiently against the floor. "Now, preferably. Before her finger tips turn blue." He looked down to see the veins that stood out against the bloodied mess of a hand.

He then rubbed his face with a sigh and motioned for the doctor to tend to the girl. He leveled a stare with Dolcetto, before he walked outside the room into the hallway. The chimera followed, as did the other two as he shut the door behind them and checked the hall for anyone that might listen in.

"The clothes, Dolcetto?" He couldn't think of any other reason the dog man would bring them up if there weren't significance to them before hand.

Greed was thankful for his men's loyalty, as the man didn't even hesitate. "They seemed like a knock off of yours. Though the leather bands at the time were used to cover the wounds on her hands."

His sign, and now his clothes too? He was happy they were ditched; otherwise he might see red when it came to the troublesome brat. Though that would have made it interesting when she hit Bradley with the truck. They had ditched the vehicle upon arrival to town. Now however, they were going to have to move again soon. The führer wouldn't give them long to catch their breath; particularly not with their new _friend_. He wouldn't kill the girl. That would leave too much information lost and yet to be uncovered. There was also still the term of his debt to square. Another factor he didn't like.

"We came across the bloody alley she spoke of." His eyes turned to Martel as she leaned against the wall beside him, arms crossed. A frown on her lips, it was clear the snake didn't like it either, "reeked of fear, the blood is a match though. We left when we heard cops coming."

"We?" He pressed, Martel sighed and gave a pause, then a small sad look.

"Bido and I." He opened his mouth in an, 'aaah' and nodded. He fell into thought as he covered his eyes. So much had happened in the past few days, and while he still breathed, so much was taken from him. His possessions, an attempt at his identity and, nearly his life… A rage coaxed its way up into his throat as he felt a snarl come back to his face. He felt livid that someone dared to take away his possessions, from his identity to his people. He pressed against the wall and fought back a growl. The anger simmered and then died down as he dropped his hand and stared out pensively.

"…So what do you want us to do about the kid?" Martel questioned. Her hand came up to rest on the hilt of her dagger. He looked down to the hand, and then up to her face.

"We're taking her with us, obviously." He huffed, "There's parts of this story we're not getting."

"Greed." She held her hand out in gesture, "She's dead weight." He rolled his eyes over to her and scowled.

"Dead weight pulled our asses out of the gunfire, Martel. Now dead weight is keeping things from me and wanted to leave us last night as soon as she figured we were in the clear." He quirked a brow and Martel silenced for a moment, thinking, "… At the least, we owe her. Need I stress to you how much I _hate_ owing someone?"

"No." Martel returned softly, a frown on her face, "But we can't trust her. How can we travel with someone we can't trust?" His eyes turned over towards the door they had shut, he heard the muffled curses of Tabitha and her assistant on the inside and something about the skill of the cuts. Martel's voice cut through his thoughts again, "how can we hope to cover a lot of ground, if we're worrying about some teenager that could run off on us? How do we know she's not working for the military or some lab rat?"

All decent questions, though Greed wasn't pleased that she'd questioned him so blatantly. A glare made her shut her mouth, before he crossed his arms and lifted his chin. He glanced to Roa who spoke as if cued.

"She's nervous and scared, but she's had experiences that assist with keeping it in check." He inhaled deeply, "…She is troubled."

"She should fit in perfectly then when we try blending." Dolcetto snickered, "As we're all a bit troubled these days."

"That's not funny." Martel shook her head, "She could be military."

"Or possibly an attempt at recreating homunculus? How much do they actually know about people like you?" Dolcetto speculated as he looked at Greed who held his hands up.

"Do you think I _bother_ to keep in contact with the family? We're not exactly _close_." He shook his head and removed his sunglasses and pocketed them. "The führer was a relative, though." He watched as they stiffened, Martel didn't seem to react, he knew she saw. "Showed us all, right before the cavalry arrived." He cast his gaze to Roa and Dolcetto, "Those Elric twits should know as well. The younger saw it…" He turned and slammed the side of his fist against the wall, a small crack appeared, "Damn, and to think I was so close to finding out the secret to immortality…" He shook his head as he ran a hand through his spiky dark hair, "Well, I guess I'll have to pick it up again once one mystery is solved."

"What do you want us to do if she tries to bolt?" Greed eyed Martel as she frowned, "Rough her up a little?"

"She's not going to try and run." He cast a look at the wall behind him, or rather past it, as though he was taking a look at the Doctor's newest patient. He finally concluded the conversation as he finished, " She's got nowhere to run to, after all."

* * *

…My head felt heavy and fuzzy with the painkillers as that sadistic doctor of a woman worked to stitch my head wound. At first, she had moved to cut away the hair in and around it. That had raised a fuss almost immediately. After she let up on her attempts, I settled down as she drenched the area in alcohol before she begun to stitch it up. She said the hair was likely to cause more issue. Then and only then, did I let her take a little bit off the scalp to get to the area. I stayed silent as she left enough of my hair that it could fall over and make it look like nothing happened at all, once again.

I only recalled briefly as she complained about my vanity, or something of that nature. My eyes were settled on the door they had all exited out of instead, the dear doctor tuned out.

I had to wonder if they were gone, and I was on my own again? That was the original plan, after all. But Greed had been right, as scary as he was. I didn't have any friends, and friends of his type were actually exactly what I needed. He knew it, I knew it, he voiced it, and I supposed I was already sold directly after he said it…

The doctor yanked my attention back to her as she handed me a new shirt, just a black tee that seemed it would fit me. I pulled it on after I stripped myself of the white clasped top Izumi had lent me.

I did question how sane I was for the moment though, given he'd grabbed me up while he seemed livid, and shook the answers out of me. I wasn't too sure I looked forward to an attempt like that again. What could I even say when and if they attempted to connect the two events; My interference with my appearance, my capture and their rescue. Technically, the only thing that connected them was I, and the knowledge of the storyline that led to my interference, was now a moot point.

The doctor finally caught my attention as she snapped her fingers in my face. She'd been speaking for about half a minute now before she'd noticed I wasn't paying a lick of attention to her. "Is there anywhere else that I need to know about?" I shook my head in reply and leveled my gaze on the ground. Just between the floor and the door I saw the movement of shadows that meant they were probably still here.

Tabitha's voice drew my attention again; "…I could let you out the back, if you would like. If you're in some sort of trouble with that lot, it might do you some good to get some distance immediately." Now there was a curious thing. The doctor was giving me a chance to run. I looked at the shadows again, noticing they had stilled and let out a breath.

There was little doubt in my mind they had all just heard that offer and were probably getting ready to move based on my response. Particularly if Greed meant what he said about me not leaving. The silence was so thick I could've cut through it with a butcher's blade.

Was this a test? It felt like it. I shook my head as I declined, "No, thanks though."

The door opened as though cued, and they walked back in. This confirmed for me they were indeed eaves dropping. They didn't leave though, and that brought me some more relief. That was, until Greed clapped his hands together, "So! Kid." I inwardly grimaced at being addressed as such, "You done licking your wounds? We probably shouldn't stay still so long, if you wanna survive."

"You all have lost so much blood-" I watched as Tabitha was shut up by a stack of money that hit her in the chest. She looked down after she caught it; I got up to my feet and began to remove the IV. My inexperienced hands fumbled with it before steadier hands came beside me. I looked up at Dolcetto, he didn't move for a moment before he gently batted away my hands to remove the IV himself. As the needle was free from my arm, I stared at the small dot of blood that formed before he shoved gauzes over it and I took his cue to hold it over my arm.

"Can it Doc." Martel's voice caught my attention next as she stood with a hand on her hip. I tilted my head with pursed lips as curiosity nagged at my senses. "That should be enough to cover your fees, and keep you quiet. We were never here." I watched her pull her dagger out and point it with a glint of menace in her eyes, "Understand?"

Tabitha took a step away from Dolcetto and me; I took a glance towards him again, then towards Greed. As I prevented myself from swallowing down the knot in my throat, I watched as she gave a nod. The samurai beside me grasped hold of my left shoulder and pushed me lightly away from her, and forwards towards the door.

The homunculus gave a grin as he put on his sunglasses, "Excellent. Make sure not to drag your feet." I wasn't sure who he addressed as we shuffled out, though I was pretty sure it was also towards me. "And guys, make sure to take a leaf out of the doc's book once we're out of here. Ditch the old clothes, we're going to have to stick to the shadows for a good long while."

A slow bit of realization and delight weaseled its way into my mind. I don't know if he sensed it, or spotted it, but Greed glanced over his shoulder at me, "And you, Ridi. Right?" I wondered why he even bothered asking, when he knew my name. I simply gave a nod, "…You're going to eventually tell me what it is that you _want_." He turned away from me, "So you better be thinking hard about it _everyday_."

I don't think he knew that I already had exactly what I wanted in mind, though. Or maybe he did, and he just wanted me to finally voice it. Either way, a part of me inwardly giggled in mirth and dark excitement.

_Into the shadows we go_. My mind whispered in it's darkest corners. _Right where that old bastard is waiting for me._

* * *

**A/N: **Alrighty! That's a good place to end this here installment. I hope you enjoyed it. And please know that while reviews are not necessary, they are greatly appreciated and highly valued for feedback! I will see you in the next installment, have a great day guys!


	8. Boom

**A/N: **Thank you to DW and Herio907 for reviewing! I greatly appreciate it guys. So I've been thinking about pairings for this plot, and right now, the only definite pairing I have is Ridi's fist/Old Man's Face. That's it. It's hard to say who or where the little scamp will run off too! But I am open to suggestions. Also, some plot heavy things in here! For my American Readers, Happy Fourth of July!

**Disclaimer**: Fullmetal Alchemist, FMA: Brotherhood, movies, and characters are all owned by Hiromu Arakawa. "Ridi" is owned by Riley Killer.

* * *

**Boom**

* * *

The dark cavern was overrun with spiders that crunched under a black stiletto. A growl of disgust found its way out of a female throat as sharp teeth gnashed together. Black hair pulled back into a high ponytail that bobbed as they approached the entrance of the cave.

An older man that looked about his mid 40's sat on a rock, cleaning a modern day digital camera with a small smile. It was by far one of his favorite things. Nothing froze time like a picture, after all. The female crossed her arms over her chest, the tattoo of the Ouroboros over her right hand, the star in the center left unfilled. Bright emerald green eyes like a cat stared down at him, the moonlight that peeked into the cavern caused them to glow in the dark. He simply gave a fond smirk as she stood over him. Though the fondness was for the fact of its creation, rather than the creature itself.

"How much longer do I have to wait, old man?" Spat the girl, her teenage face flawless, and her pale skin contrasted the black that covered her torso, hips and thighs in the turtleneck-collared dress she wore. The slits up the side giving a peek of her thighs and the shorts that lay underneath. Her bare shoulders rose and fell in an irritated snort, "I'm not getting any younger here!"

"You're not getting any older, either." The man replied softly, his eyes narrowed as she scowled, "Patience."

"You didn't make me to be patient." She growled, pointing an accusing finger out the door, she tilted her head and continued, "I want what's mine. I feel empty without it whole! That walking meat sack has the other half. I want it _now_!"

"In due time, you greedy creature." He muttered. An indignant snarl was the retort he received from his companion. He rolled his eyes as he turned his head towards her with a snap of, "I have been perfecting my plan for nearly a century, do you think I'm going to let _you_ muck it up?" He watched her flinch as his bright blue eyes gained a dangerous glow, "I've only one opportunity to see this done correctly, and thus you _will_ wait. Do you understand?"

She looked at him with an open mouth, ready to retort with some sort of sassy come back no doubt. He cut her off before she could even begin as he wondered inwardly if it was bravery or stupidity. "I have _made_ you, do not think I won't _destroy_ you." He glared, "…You only make my plan easier, but change that, and I will take you out of the equation all together." Her mouth shut and her teeth clacked together in irritation.

"…Why split us at all? Why not use yourself?" She finally questioned. He looked up from his camera and then threw his cleaning clothe into his bag. The camera soon followed. He wasn't going to get any of it clean this evening. She had made it her priority to deny him small pleasures, it seemed.

_Who knew homunculi were such irritating creatures? _He questioned with a scowl. She stared on at him, not even bothering to blink. She still wanted his answer. He leaned forward and intertwined his fingers together as he rested his elbows on his knees.

"Curiosity, perhaps?" He looked out the corner of his eyes up to her. His vision locked with hers, "Or perhaps, I knew my own soul would rebel against my wants and needs, and trifle with my means of getting them fulfilled. Or perhaps-" he leaned back, "I wanted to see what it would be like to create a life on my own, while using others. This world has perfected doing it as such, after all…"

"While it's not like I'm not grateful for the souls inside me," The teenage like creature spat, "you realize the only thing I want is to go back to where I belong, or to take what belongs to me… regardless of your little plan here to fuck around with the powers that be." She flicked her hair over her shoulder, her eyes lidded, "Oh and by the way, it never works out well for the meddler." Those green orbs shined with mirth now, "Let me tell you, I've _oodles _of experience watching it fail."

He hated her foul little mouth; it had such an unintelligible way of speaking. Perhaps she was not grateful for the genius needed behind what it took to make her. Or maybe it was the fact she didn't know her other side lacked greatly in her absence. All he got out of this exchange was a mouthy, disobedient little brat that wanted far too much from him. Either way, he snarled, "You were 'born' as it were almost a five days ago, you have no experience at all in _anything_."

This time, the homunculus pulled her lips into a feral grin. Her teeth shined white and her lips as they contrasted it, appeared to look red like fresh blood. "I technically don't need it." She reached up and tapped her temple, a soft chuckle flowed from her and he felt his eyes widen in realization, "Because, I remember it."

She turned and moved back down into the dark cavern, the sound of the spiders she made a point to step on, crunched quietly under her feet. "Let me know when I can leave this dreary cave!" She called back, her tone whimsical now as it reverberated off the cave walls, "I'm looking forward to meeting my other half after all, old man!"

The man waited until her form disappeared into the dark before he gave a low sigh and rubbed his eyes.

_A little bit longer, and none of this will matter._ He thought to himself as he leaned back against the wall. A spider dropped down onto his shoulder and he brushed it away. He ignored as it bit into his hand, and felt the mild aggravation of venom as it entered his system. He killed it as he crushed it in his fist. It brought him a small delight to watch the legs twitch and feel the gooey entrails in his hand before he scraped it against the rock to the side. _They are necessary distractions_. He reminded himself, _nothing more._

* * *

Other than the muffled bumps and clatter of the wheels against the rails, the train car was silent. None of them bothered to speak as they caught their breath. Ridi however, could feel the beginnings of a withdrawal headache as it started to claw at the inside of her head. Greed was idly staring out the side of the train car, while Martel and Dolcetto seemed to be taking the time to sharpen their weapons. Roa had taken up a crate for a seat.

Ridi, in the mean time, tried to piece together her next move as the homunculus stood nearby. She was concentrated on her feet at the moment, as her legs sat sprawled ahead of her. The process of getting onto the train almost a blur in her mind, as she'd been picked up right before they'd jumped on, and then promptly dropped on the floor directly after. By all means, it was not a pleasant experience. She hadn't moved from that spot since.

Thus she couldn't feel her butt, and was beginning to feel the need for caffeine as her system craved it and gnawed at the edge of her mind. This resulted in Ridi's face being contorted into a very peeved look. Mouth shut, eyes lidded, with brows tilted down, back propped against the wall, and her arm lay over her chest in another sling.

Greed kept to his own thoughts also, as he stared through a crack in the train car at the landscape as it passed them by. This dreary little train car did nothing for his finer tastes. He greatly wished to move from it and upfront. Perhaps he could make do with one of the high-class cars.

This cargo car made him irritated. There was nothing to do, no finesse or style. He cast a look over at his chimera that looked equally bored. Dolcetto and Martel had taken the free time to sharpen their blades; Roa watched the entrance warily. The kid hadn't moved from her spot since she'd been dropped there, something seemed to be eating her. He supposed there was plenty he'd given her to think about, unless she already knew the answers.

He turned to her and opened his mouth, only to see the brat had drifted off to sleep. It seemed the boredom made a good excuse for her to fall off into dreamland while the rest of them were conscious, and awake. He could almost be jealous. A few seconds later those eyes popped open, alert and wary, before they began to drift shut again and the body went lax. He waited a few moments and then gave a soft chuckle as he looked back out the crack. "That won't last long."

"Where are we headed, Greed?" He looked towards Dolcetto who'd looked up from his blade, "Safe house? Xing? Where?"

Greed turned after he shut the car door. He huffed and looked at the dog chimera, then gave a reluctant look towards the door. "Right now, as far away from Dublith while staying in Amestris as possible." He grimaced, "More than likely Datepus."

A groan exited Martel, "I hate the cold…"

Greed gave a nod, but then sighed, "We don't have much of a choice. Thankfully none of you are sporting automail, but the cold will hopefully deter them from following us."

"Can't we go west?" He shook his head to the snake chimera before Roa let out a sigh.

"…We'll need winter gear." He tilted is head to the young woman asleep on the floor. "All of us." Greed didn't bother to glance down as he looked back at the man. "Martel will need triple layers in particular."

"It'll only be temporary." The homunculus replied, he shrugged and took a few steps towards the door, "At least until the heats died down. Then we'll go southwest. I have a few contacts that we can connect with there."

"Why not escape into Drachma?" The low voice was what made him snap his head to their young companion on the floor. Her eyes opened and were tired, but they were nailed onto him. "Enemy of my enemy… after all"

Greed could appreciate the thought, but for the time being, he shook his head. "The people who are going to come don't necessarily care who the State's enemies are, kid. This isn't an issue about jurisdiction."

The talking had ruined Ridi's attempt to fall asleep, and thus she gave him a differential shrug. "Never mind that, then." She instead began to contemplate advancements or achievements she might be able to succeed with here in this almost history oriented like world. _They don't even have Coca-Cola. _Her caffeine withdrawal was getting to her, but she paused as a brilliant realization hit her, _I COULD LEARN ALCHEMY AND __**MAKE**__ COCA-COLA!_

Meanwhile, her plan went unnoticed, which in her opinion was all the better. She didn't need Greed stealing his way into making millions. Though Ridi supposed, it would do her a bit of good to even learn the currency system. As long as she remained blissfully clueless, perhaps there wouldn't be a problem. She bet she could observe the change differences in the process. Though if she explained the American Dollar to them, they would probably think something was up. It was probably in her best interest to keep her head down. The Chimera didn't trust her, and Greed already seemed to have black listed her to a degree.

What on earth would they think if she had no idea how the currency, what was it? _Cenni, cenz?_ Worked, at all. She scratched at the side of her face as they spoke amongst themselves, her hearing taking it's time to fade in and out of the conversation.

Apparently they would be going up north to a safe house. Greed mentioned they would have to keep low for a good long while, at least until they were sure their pursuers weren't interest. Ridi quietly acknowledged this plan in thought, was a good idea. She was in no rush to get the military on her footsteps again.

_What could I even do if they got me? Anything I knew was going to happen, probably isn't, and how do I explain what I knew, without sounding like a lunatic. _She was about to go off on this tangent before Greed's voice snapped her attention by addressing her directly. She looked over and up before he huffed a sigh.

"If you want to remain out of the military's grasp, I suggest you pay attention." He had hers at the fullest then. He began to instruct as he looked back at the chimera, "once we're in Datepus, we're splitting up. Martel, Roa, you two will be in charge of getting the gear and supplies." The two Chimera gave a nod, he glanced at Dolcetto, "You're with me and the kid I'll need your scouting abilities." Dolcetto's grunt was all he needed for confirmation, Greed's tone raised an octave as he turned towards Ridi, "_Brat_." He casted her a scowl, "you're with me. You leave my side, and this relationship of ours is going to become all the more strained. Got it?"

Ridi eyed those amethyst cat slit eyes that stared her down. It was like he dared her to refuse. A low breath caused her shoulders to slump, and her own body to relax back against the door, as though in submission before she gave him a nod. "Don't got to tell me twice." She confirmed.

Greed gave a curt nod and then looked up to his men, "Good, we all understand what's going to go down then when we arrive." He looked about. Soon taken into his own thoughts. With the thought of having to lay low, he was brought the grim reminder of all that was left in Dublith. His underground trades, his connections, the beautiful fine women… He fought back a snarl as he felt the dark blue eyes of their newest companion on him. Careful and narrowed, he felt like he was being studied behind those glasses.

In many ways, he supposed Ridi had everything to worry about when it came to him, but in many other ways, she was far safer with him, than without him. Particularly with the military on their tail, he could ditch her and leave them to her, but without his debt paid, that wasn't really in the priority of his 'to do' list.

The kid could be useful if he dug deep enough down into her. He just had to find the right routes and first and foremost, she had to give him more information. He couldn't necessarily work with the information in front of him. She had saved them on her wants, perhaps that was true, but that didn't make sense. The human nature at least had some form of preservation for one's life. Yet here she had almost risked it all for a want.

She wasn't a homunculus, was she? He looked down towards her hand, and back up towards her face. Silent thoughts moved behind those eyes that stared him down. Nah, she would have healed if she were, already. There would have been no need for the bandages for any reason.

Her voice was what broke his train of thought though.

"So that old man was scary." He lifted his head for her to continue, "The one I hit with the truck." Oh, Bradley. He gave another nod.

"Yes, he is." He leaned back against the train car; his chimera seemed to tune out the conversation for now. Martel looked like she could doze off while she leaned against Roa's side. Dolcetto's head was down, but he was more than likely the focused as he drug his whetstone down his blade, but his head was slightly tilted as he listened.

"There are a lot more scary people like him, too." The dog chimera muttered, "And they'll all be coming down on us." His eyes turned to Greed, "Won't they?"

Greed frowned and winced, but nodded. "…And they all work for the same person too."

"And who's that?" He looked over at Ridi. She seemed on edge by her posture, making him quirk a brow. He didn't see any harm in letting her in on the secret though. In fact, it might give him a clue as to who he spoke to at the moment.

"My old man."

* * *

…If I could throw up right now, I would. No sooner had the words left Greed's mouth, I felt my heart seize, my throat tighten, and had to put all my effort into keeping my features schooled to a blank, unreactive, confused stare.

_Father_. I leaned against the wall and looked down at my lap. _I'm dealing with Father, not Dante; I'm dealing with __**Father**__. _I shut my eyes and let out a sigh. "So your dad?"

"That _is_ what I mean by, my 'old man'. Kid. Not talking about a husband here." The fact Greed would even bring up a possible husband was enough to take just the tip of the edge that felt like it had shoved itself down into my chest. I wet my lips and opened a lazy eye.

"How'd you get so lucky to have that kind a dad, huh?" I teased, I forced myself to give a smug little grin, but inwardly, my heart pounded. My head was spinning, and I tried with the might of hell, to hang onto my sanity.

_Father_.

It was on repeat in my head again and again. I clasped my hands together and intertwined my fingers to keep my body still as it began to shake in the garbs I was wore now. The homunculus continued to eye me as we kept contact and all I could hear was my own heart as it pounded in my ears. It was good too, as I totally missed the sound of a large bang and rattle from outside the car. One, that caused the chimera to look up, and Greed's eyes to flick towards the door in a pause.

Soon his gaze turned back to me.

"…It's a hell of a story." Greed replied. I watched as his eyebrows furrowed, and his lips turned downward. It seemed I was caught. _Shit_. "W-"

But we never got to hear the end of what he was going to say. Dolcetto, Martel, and Roa, who had given me their full attention now, and I. None of us got to hear Greed's next words or if I was in the doghouse yet. I didn't even get to know how much trouble I was in as he had taken a slow step towards me.

Because it was right as he opened his mouth, the worst possible thing happened.

An explosion occurred on the outside, and our train car was derailed.

* * *

**A/N: **Alright, I'll see you guys next chapter, and I promise it won't take me as long to get up (hopefully). I needed to rewrite some of the portions with this, and went another route than I thought I would. I hope you enjoyed some of the comical bits, and remember that while reviewing is not necessary, they are greatly appreciated! I'll have more for you to read soon!


End file.
